COL.    C.    C.    SLAUGHTER, 
President  Mission  Board  Baptist  G.   C.  of  Texas. 


HISTORY 

OF  THE 

BAPTISTS  OF  TEXAS 

A  Concise  Narrative  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in 

Texas,  from  the  Earliest  Occupation  of  the 

Territory  to  the  Close  of  the  Year  1906 


WITH    A    COPIOUS    TOPICAL    INDEX 


BY 

B.  F.  RILEY,  D.  D.,  LL.D. 

Author  of  A  Physical  Geography  of  Alabama,    History  of  the  Baptists  of 
Alabama,    A  History  of  the    Baptists  of  the  Southern  States   East 
of   the   Mississippi,    Ex-President   of   Howard   College,    and 
Sometime   Professor  of  Rhetoric    and  English  Liter- 
ature in  the  University  of  Georgia 


"Traffc  rtboiit  Zion,  and  r/o  rmtnd  ahont  her;  tell  the  toiver><  thereof. 
Mark  ye  well  her  Imlwarks,  consider  her  palaces;  that  ye  may  tell  it  to 
the  <ieneration.t  fnllowino/'—Ps.  XLVIII;  12,  t". 


DALLAS,  TEXAS. 

rur.LLSHED  FOR  THE  AUTHOR. 

1907. 


Copyright    1907 

RY 
B.  F.  "RTLEY 


ex 


So  i^tV, 


WHO  HAS  BEEN  A  FAITHFUL  COMPANION  FOR  MANY  YEARS, 
SHARING  WITH  ME  THAT  WHICH  LIFE  HAS  BROUGHT  ;  LOYAL 
TO  HER  HOME  AND  THE  SACRED  INTERESTS  OF  THE  FAM- 
ILY ALW^\YS,  AND  SHEDDING  THE  GENTLE  LIGHT  OF  AN 
EXALTED  PIETY  ON  THE  CIRCLE  OF  THE  HOME;  SELF-SAC- 
RIFICING AND  PATIENT,  WHEN  THESE  VIRTUES  WERE  DE- 
MANDED, ALWAYS  PREFERRING  THE  HAPPINESS  OF  OTHERS 
RATHER  THAN  THAT  OF  HER  OWN,  AND  NEVER  SPEAKING  ILL 
OF  OTHERS 


(To  ily  WxU, 


this  volume  is  affectionately  dedicated  by 

The  Author. 


488S14 


PREFACE. 


The  Baptists  of  Texas  are  a  great  people,  and  have 
made  great  history.  Their  achievements  are  worthy  of 
permanent  preservation.  To  rescue  these  records  from 
obscurity  and  to  give  them  lasting  life  on  the  living  page  of 
history,  is  the  occasion  of  this  narrative.  To  do  this  has 
required  much  diligent  exertion  and  scrupulous  care.  Here 
and  there  were  old  records  of  one  kind  and  another,  cast 
aside,  and  if  not  forgotten,  neglected,  on  which  the  decay 
of  age  and  the  stain  of  time  had  gathered.  From  obscure 
corners  these  were  rescued,  and  a  record  of  the  earliest 
stages  of  the  history  of  the  Baptist  denomination  of  Texas 
was  gleaned,  and  the  facts  set  out  in  due  order.  Environ- 
ment and  condition  were  duly  and  thoughtfully  considered, 
in  order  that  the  amplest  justice  might  be  accorded  to  each 
one  who  has  been  active  on  the  stage  of  development.  The 
smallest  incident  often  becomes  a  turning  point  in  the  history 
of  an  individual,  a  people,  a  nation.  To  seize  such  seemingly 
trifling  events,  and  to  trace  their  influence  through  the 
thickets  of  future  scenes,  one  must  possess  the  instinct  of 
the  historian.  Nor  must  he  be  misled  by  the  sudden  flare 
of  an  occasion  which  may  pass  away  with  the  quickness  of 
the  nightly  meteor.  In  short,  history  is  more  than  a  mere 
record  of  events ;  it  is  a  philosophic  treatise  of  that  which 
reaches  the  core  of  the  character  of  a  people.  No  one  can 
be  truly  an  historian  who  arbitrarily  pushes  his  own  views 
to  a  conclusion,  regardless  of  the  principles  which  underlie 
a  train  of  events.  He  must  "nothing  extenuate,  nor  set 
down  aught  in  malice."  The  facts  with  which  he  must 
deal  in  building  a  volume  of  history,  are  the  facts  made,  no 
matter  by  whom.     To  do  other  than  to  accord  to  each  the 

7 


8  PREFACE 

merit  of  liis  just  desert,  is  unfair;  to  mete  out  ample  justice 
to  a  cause  espoused  by  one  who  undertakes  the  record  of 
historical  truth,  is  the  plain  and  simple  duty  of  the  his- 
torian. This,  the  writer  of  this  volume  has  sought  to  do. 
He  has  studiously  sought  to  avoid  straining  facts  out  of 
their  proper  relations,  and  has  been  concerned  about  record- 
ing them  as  they  have  been  made.  In  this  he  may  have 
erred,  in  certain  particulars,  but  if  so,  he  is  not  aware  of  it. 
Nor  has  he  gone  be\'ond  his  reach  merely  to  include  the 
names  of  individuals,  tiie  omission  of  some  of  which  may 
occasion  disappointment.  The  clue  found  in  the  beginning 
has  been  faithfully  followed  along  the  torturous  windings 
of  the  years,  and  the  incidents  rather  than  the  individuals 
have  been  made  conspicuous.  History  and  biography  are 
quite  different. 

As  faithful  as  he  is  capable  of  being,  has  been  the  author 
in  the  preparation  of  this  volume.  He  has  had  before  him 
constantly  a  great  denomination  of  Christians,  whose  track- 
way he  has  followed  through  four-fifths  of  a  century.  There 
have  been  struggles  herculean,  and  victories  resplendent ; 
there  have  been  periods  of  alternating  darkness  and  light ; 
there  have  been  sacrifice  and  selfishness,  order  and  dis- 
order, wisdom,  far-sighted  and  exact,  and  errors,  not  a  few. 
But  out  of  it  all  has  come  a  history  of  rare  radiance,  the 
recorded  deeds  of  which  will  serve  to  stimulate  through  all 
the  years  of  time.  The  darkness  intermingled  through  these 
deeds  make  the  bright  only  the  brighter.  Just  as  they  have 
been  found  to  exist,  have  the  facts  been  recorded.  The  his- 
torian has  not  made  them,  nor  has  he  sought  to  modify 
them.  A  fact  cannot  be  unmade.  It  remains  such  for  all 
eternity.  Fidelity  to  the  truth  has  been  the  actuating 
motive  of  the  author  throughout.  How  well  he  has  illus- 
trated this  principle,  or  how  far  short  he  has  fallen,  will  be 
seen  in  these  pages. 

In  order  that  certain  conditions  might  be  better  appreci- 
ated, he  found  it  proper,  at  times,  to  refer  to  certain  side 
lights  of  secular  history.  While  men  take  color  from  their 
surroundings,  they  likewise  give  it.  The  action  and  reac- 
tion of  certain  influences,  secular  and  sacred,  have  not  been 
overlooked.     Valuable  aid  has  been  derived  from  the  cur- 


PEEFACE  9 

rent  histories  of  the  state,  those  of  Yoakum.  Brown, 
Wooten,  Thrall,  and  Pennybacker,  especially.  Morrell's 
"Flowers  and  Fruits,"  a  work  of  genuine  merit ;  "The  His- 
torical and  Biographical  Magazine"  of  Rev.  J-  B.  Link, 
D.D.,  LL.D. ;  Haynes's  "Life  and  Writings  of  President 
Burleson";  "Fuller's  History  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas," 
have  been  utilized,  while  the  numerous  copies  of  minutes, 
alike  of  the  associations  and  of  the  conventions,  have  been 
indispensable.  ]\Iany  have  kindly  lent  the  use  of  works  of 
value,  which  fact  is  hereby  acknowledged.  Among  these,  it 
gives  pleasure  to  name  ]\Irs.  G.  B.  Davis,  Rev.  R.  F.  Stokes, 
Colonel  C.  C.  Slaughter,  Rev.  S.  H.  Blair,  Rev.  H.  M. 
Burroughs,  Rev.  C.  T.  Alexander,  Mrs.  Rachel  Stewart 
and  others. 

A  number  of  those  already  named  gave  substantial  help 
in  other  ways,  without  which  the  history  could  not  have 
been  published.  Li  this  connection,  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
express  gratefulness  for  disinterested  kindness  and  sub- 
stantial assistance  from  IMessrs.  W.  T.  Carter  and  J-  W. 
Neal,  and  from  Hon.  George  ^^'.  Carroll  and  Rev.  J-  L. 
Gross.  Unlimited  encouragement  has  come  from  such 
spirits  as  Doctors  L.  A.  Little,  L.  T.  Mavs,  f.  A.  French, 
W.  M.  Harris,  and  Revs.  J.  W.  Gillon,  W.'S.  Splawn,  P.  E. 
Burroughs,  and  others. 

The  work  represents  an  honest  effort  to  be  faithful  to  a 
great  tiust. 


KEY.    C.   F.  niLEY,    D.  D.,   LL.  D., 
Author    Riley's    History    of   Texas    Baptists. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter.  Page. 

I.     Fountain  Sources  13 

II.     A  Broadening-  Horizon 21 

III.  Solidification  Under  Difficulties 29 

IV.  Gaining  a  Solid  Footing 39 

V.     Baylor  University 51 

VI.     Education  and  Evangelization 64 

\'II.     An   Eventful    Period 75 

yjll.     Harmonious  Activity   88 

IX.     A  Period  of  Expansion 104 

X.     Sunshine   and    Shadow 122 

XI.     The  Calm  Before  the  Storm. 140 

XII.     The  Storm  of  War 153 

XIII.  Destruction   and   Reconstruction 169 

XIV.  An  Era  of  Activity  and  Agitation 194 

•     XV.     The  Combat  Deepens 218 

XVI.     Brighter  and  Better  Days 239 

XVTI.     The  Throes  Before  Deliverance 255 

XVIII.  An  Era  of  Reconciliation  and  Progress.  .  .  .  284 

XIX.     Mingled  Order  and  Disorder 311 

11 


1 9  CONTENTS 

J.  V 

Chapter.  Page. 

XX.  Retrospective  and   Prospective 330 

XXl.  IMinglcd  Darkness  and  Lioht 356 

XXI  r.  The  Combat  Deepens 372 

XXIII.  Courts  and  Chnrclics 399 

XXIV.  Disaster  and  Consecration 417 

XXY.  A  Period  of  Prosperity 433 

XX\'I.  The  Prospect  Broadens 450 

XXMI.  Closing  Words 47^ 

XXYIII.  Some  Prominent  Texas  Baptist  Laymen.  .  .  474 


HISTORY  OF 
THE  BAPTISTS  OF  TEXAS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FOUNTAIX    SOURCES. 

The  memorable  battle  of  New  Orleans,  in  1815,  was  the 
decisive  signal  for  the  beginning  of  the  occupation  of  the 
further  west  by  emigrants  from  the  older  states  of  the  east. 
Up  to  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  but  few  white  settlers 
from  the  states  lying  eastward,  had  ventured  so  far  as  Mis- 
sissippi and  Louisiana.  The  great  regions  lying  west  of 
the  Mississippi  river  were  therefore  still  unexplored  by 
emigrants  from  the  American  states.  True,  as  early  as 
1806,  emigrants  from  the  United  States  had  entered  Texas, 
as  it  was  a  question  open  to  dispute  whether  it  was  em- 
braced in  the  indefinite  and  really  unknown  region  included 
in  the  Louisiana  Purchase.  There  was  an  earnest  conten- 
tion on  the  part  of  some,  at  least,  and  of  those  who  had  re- 
moved to  Texas  at  that  early  period,  that  Texas  was  a  part 
of  the  territory  purchase  made  of  Napoleon. 

So  attractive  to  the  venturesome  emigrant  were  the  rich 
and  wide  plains,  the  limitless  woods,  and  the  abounding 
game  beyond  the  great  river,  that  nothing  more  than  a 
bare  presumption  was  needed  that  Texas  was  a  virtual  part 
of  the  purchased  territory.  Vast  and  great  as  the  region 
was,  and  boundless  in  its  possibilities,  with  its  fabulously 
fertile  soils,  its  hills  and  mountains  of  treasure,  its  varied 
and  untouched  forests  of  valuable  timber,  and  peopled  only 
by  roving  tribes  of  Indians  and  a  few  Mexicans,  whose  set- 

13 


14  II  IS  TO  in:    OF    TI-]XAS    BAPTJ8TS 

tlements  dotted  the  inunense  domain  here  and  there,  it 
served  as  a  perpetual  ahurement  to  the  emigrant  seeking  an 
improvement  of  his  condition.  Tlien,  too,  it  was  the  para- 
dise of  the  hunter.  Across  its  plains  grazed  herds  of  deer 
and  buffalo  and  droves  of  wild  mustangs,  while  its  primeval 
forests  abounded  in  bears,  panthers  and  the  wild  turkey. 
The  daring  emigrant  was  not  disposed  to  halt  and  quibble 
over  an  imaginary  boundary  line  on  the  banks  of  the  Sabine, 
nor  regard  an  international  dispute,  when  a  region  so  en- 
ticing lay  just  beyond.  The  occupation  of  Texas,  by  the 
whites,  was  the  occasion  of  much  disquietude  and  blood- 
shed for  a  period  of  three  decades ;  but  upon  its  possession 
the  Anglo-Saxon  had  set  his  heart,  and  the  result  could  be 
easily  foreseen.  Not  to  pursue  further  a  narrative  more 
specially  political  than  otherwise,  we  turn  now  to  trace  the 
history  of  a  great  denomination  of  Christians  through  a 
period  of  four-fifths  of  a  century. 

The  history  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas  began  in  1824, 
when  Rev.  Freeman  vSmalley,  a  Baptist  missionary  from 
Clinton  county,  Ohio,  reached  New  Orleans,  on  his  way 
to  the  West,  and  made  his  way,  on  foot,  up  the  Mississippi 
and  Red  rivers,  a  distance  of  five  hundred  miles,  and 
preached  at  Pecan  Point,  on  the  Texas  side  of  Red  river. 
Here  he  found  a  settlement  of  whites,  and  in  the  home  of 
William  Newman  preached  the  first  sermon  said  to  have 
l)cen  preached  by  a  Baptist  in  Texas.  He  found  that  the 
enterprising  Methodist  missionary  had  preceded  him  about 
a  half  dozen  years,  and  had  established  a  mission  at  Pecan 
Point.  At  that  time  Mr.  Smalley  was  about  twenty-nine 
years  old.  He  was  fired  with  apostolic  zeal,  and  was 
undaunted  by  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  How  long 
Mr.  Smalley  remained  in  Texas  before  his  return  home, 
we  have  no  means  of  knowing,  but  it  must  have  been  sev- 
eral years.  At  any  rate,  he  was  so  impressed  by  the  oppor- 
tunities of  missionary  effort  in  this  new  and  untried  region, 
that  he  came  to  Texas  again  in  1848. 

The  year  following  that  of  JNIr.  Smalley 's  arrival  in 
Texas,  in  1825,  another  Baptist  missionary.  Rev.  Joseph 
r.ays,  came  into  Texas,  and  preached  the  first  Baptist  ser- 
mon preached  by  a  Baptist  on  the  west  side  of  the  Brazos 


FOUNTAIN    SOURCES  15 

river.  He  was  seeking  his  way  to  the  Mexican  settlement 
at  San  Antonio,  and  stopping-  at  the  home  of  Moses  Ship- 
man,  near  San  Fehpe,  the  capital  of  Austin's  colony,  he 
preached  to  the  pioneers  in  Shipman's  home.  Proceeding 
thence  to  San  Antonio,  which  was  given  up  to  the  worship 
of  the  Roman  Catholics,  it  being  the  only  creed  .recognized 
by  the  Spanish  government,  to  the  non-tolerance  of  all 
others,  Mr.  Bays  began  his  missionary  labors.  He  threw 
himself  with  consuming  zeal  into  the  work  under  the  most 
discouraging  conditions,  but  the  impression  made  by  him 
was  so  pronounced  that  he  was  intercepted  by  the  Romish 
priests,  who,  invoking  the  aid  of  the  civil  authorities,  suc- 
ceeded in  having  Bays  ordered  away.  For  a  time,  disre- 
garding the  peremptory  order,  he  was  threatened  with 
imprisonment,  with  a  hint  of  even  direr  punishment  should 
he  not  heed  the  order  to  leave.  He  therefore  decided  to 
quit  that  region,  not  so  much  in  his  own  behalf,  as  in  behalf 
of  those  who  had  befriended  him,  and  who  had  no  oppor- 
tunity to  leave,  but  would  have  to  bear  the  consequences 
of  his  persistency  to  remain.  He  was  released  from  arrest 
only  on  condition  that  he  would  quit  Texas  altogether.  At 
that  time  Roman  Catholicism  was  so  supreme  in  Texas  that 
no  one  was  permitted  to  settle  within  its  borders  who 
declined  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  that  creed.  That 
an  ecclesiastical  law  so  rigid  as  that  was  not  enforced,  and 
that  it  was  not  regarded  as  binding  because  compulsorily 
taken,  was  clear  from  the  fact  that  there  is  reason  for 
believing  that  there  were  Baptists  in  Austin's  colony  and 
other  Christian  Protestants  in  other  parts  of  the  territory, 
who  had  been  in  Texas  for  several  years. 

The  next  Baptist  missionary  to  appear  in  Texas  was 
Rev.  Thomas  Hanks,  who  came  from  Tennessee  in  1829, 
and  found  a  warm  welcome  and  hospitable  lodging  in  the 
home  of  Moses  Shipman,  the  Aquila  of  Texas  Baptists, 
who  first  welcomed  Bays  to  preach  the  gospel  beneath  his 
roof  several  years  before.  Mr.  Hanks  .was  an  unctuous 
preacher,  highly  gifted  with  persuasive  powers,  of  no  mean 
sort,  and  enjoys  the  ,-distinction  among  the  Baptists  of 
Texas  of  procuring,  under  his  preaching,  the  first  recorded 
profession  of  faith  made  in  the  state.     Mrs.  Lvdia  Allcorn 


RRV.   R.  C.  PTTKXER.  DALLAS,  TEXAS. 


FOUNTAIN    SOURCES  17 

was  converted  under  his  ministrations  and  made  a  public 
confession,  but  the  privilege  of  baptism  was  denied  her  for 
ten  }'ears,  when  she  became  a  member  of  the  church  at 
Independence  on  the  occasion  of  its  organization. 

In  1834,  Rev.  Samuel  Reed  removed  from  Tennessee  to 
Texas,  and  began  preaching  in  the  region  round  about 
Nacogdoches,  one  of  the  few^  Spanish  settlements  in  the 
state.  His  habit  was  to  go  from  house  to  house,  praying 
and  preaching  as  he  went,  notwithstanding  he  was  stoutly 
resisted  by  the  Romish  priests.  Services  were  held  with 
more  or  less  secrecy  to  avoid  a  clash  with  the  priests  and 
the  civil  authorities.  Waxing  bolder  with  time  and  expe- 
rience we  find  jNIr.  Reed,  in  1836.  preaching  openly  to  a 
crowd  gathered  beneath  a  grove  of  oaks,  about  four  miles 
north  of  Nacogdoches,  where  a  Baptist  meeting  house  was 
built  some  years  later.  Even  before  the  establishment  of  a 
permanent  church  Mr.  Reed  succeeded  in  inducing  the  set- 
tlers to  build  a  log  house,  in  which  services  were  regularlv 
held. 

Rev.  Abner  Smith,  an  anti-missionary  Baptist,  came  to 
Texas  in  1834,  at  the  head  of  a  colony  of  thirty-two,  the 
entire  membership  of  a  church  of  which  he  was  the  pastor 
on  the  Buttahatchie  river,  in  Alabama.  This  colony  located 
on  the  Colorado  river,  twelve  miles  below  the  present  site 
of  Bastrop,  but  Smith  and  his  flock  made  no  impression  on 
the  life  of  the  growing  population  of  the  new  countrv,  and 
after  a  few  years  the  organization  became  extinct.  Rev. 
Isaac  Crouch  was  a  member  of  this  colony,  but  principle 
compelled  his  severance  from  it.  when  he  withdrew  and 
settled  in  Milam  county,  where,  in  1836.  he  was  murdered 
by  the  Indians  near  the  present  location  of  Little  River 
Baptist  church.  Two  other  missionaries  of  the  Baptist 
faith  reached  Texas  in  1835 — Revs.  R.  Marsh  and  Z.  N. 
Morrell.  the  former  of  whom  was  enfeebled  by  age  and  dis- 
ease, and  his  career  in  Texas  was  a  short  one.  Marsh 
accompanied  ]\Iorrell  to  Houston,  then  a  settlement  of  tents, 
where  he,  Morrell,  preached  the  first  evangelistic  sermon 
ever  preached  in  that  city.  Rumors  having  become  current 
in  the  older  states  that  Texas  was  a  refuge  for  criminals 
who  fled  hither  to  escape  justice,  and  that  the  people  of  the 


18  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

state  were  lacking  in  morality  and  religion,  a  meeting  of 
ministers  of  different  faiths  was  held  in  the  office  of  Rev. 
R.  Marsh  in  Houston  on  May  8,  1837,  to  issue  a  statement 
in  behalf  of  the  people  of  Texas,  and  to  organize  what  was 
called  ''The  Ecclesiastical  Committee  of  Vigilance  for 
Texas."  A  statement  was  issued  that  under  the  great  head 
of  the  church  and  the  benign  influence  of  charity  the  com- 
mittee would  endeavor  to  maintain  the  purity  of  the  Chris- 
tian name  and  the  honor  and  dignity  of  the  ministerial 
office  and  withhold  sanction  from  all  who  came  professing 
membership  from  churches  in  the  older  states,  unless  such 
profession  was  illustrated  by  a  godly  walk.  This  was  cir- 
culated throughout  the  country,  and  had  the  effect  of  cor- 
recting an  error  and  of  deterring  many  from  seeking  to 
impose  themselves  on  the  churches  of  a  new  region.*  Mr. 
Alarsh  soon  retired  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  San  Jacinto 
river,  where  he  built  a  home,  but  later  returned  to  Missis- 
sippi, where  he  died. 

To  Z.  N.  Morrell  belongs  the  distinction  of  being  the 
most  daring,  uncompromising  and  aggressive  of  the  pioneer 
Baptist  preachers  of  Texas.  Leaving  his  home  in  Ten- 
nessee, where  he  had  been  preaching  effectively  for  four- 
teen years,  and  where  his  lungs  became  involved,  he  was 
advised  by  his  physicians  to  seek  the  brace  of  Texas  air. 
Forthwith  responding  to  the  suggestion  he  was  making  his 
way  with  his  family  to  Texas,  wdien  he  was  interrupted  in 
Yellowshuba  county,  Mississippi,  by  the  receipt  of  the  news 
of  the  fierce  conflict  betw-een  Texas  and  Mexico.  Enlisting 
in  active  work  in  the  region  of  his  sojourn  he  was  actuated 
to  resume  his  journey  toward  Texas  again  in  December, 
1835,  by  the  arrival  at  his  home  in  Mississippi  of  a  body  of 
emigrants  from  the  region  of  his  original  home  in  Ten- 
nessee, among  whom  was  his  family  physician.  Yielding 
to  the  solicitations  of  the  members  of  the  party  to  accom- 
pany them  westward,  he  consented  to  go. 

Crossing  the  Sabine  the  party  pushed  on  to  the  Forks  of 
Little  River,  which  locality  was  reached  in  the  last  days  of 


*"A  Comprehensive  History  of  Texas,"  edited  bv  Dudley  Wooten, 
Vol.  I.,  p.  322. 


FOUNTAIN    SOURCES    .  19 

the  year  1835,  where  they  found  another  party  of  Ten- 
nesseans  prospecting  the  country  with  a  view  to  settlement. 
Among  these  was  a  Mrs.  Childress,  a  Baptist,  and  here 
Morrell  lingered  for  a  season  and  preached.  Meanwhile 
he  was  greatly  impressed  alike  by  the  salubrity  of  the  cli- 
mate and  the  immense  means  of  doing  good.  On  his  return 
trip  to  Mississippi  to  bring  his  family,  he  stopped  at  Nacog- 
doches, where  was  gathered  a  mixed  multitude  of  Mexicans, 
Indians,  and  whites  attending  an  election,  and  preached  to 
them  from  the  text :  "The  wilderness  and  solitary  places 
shall  be  glad  for  them,  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice  and 
blossom  as  the  rose."  The  appropriateness  of  the  text 
caught  the  promiscuous  crowd,  and  marked  attention  was 
given  the  stranger.  Mr.  Morrell  was  long  after  a  conspicu- 
ous figure  in  Texas,  as  we  shall  have  abundant  opportunity 
of  seeing.  It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  all  these  evan- 
gelistic efforts,  of  whatever  kind,  were  in  direct  violation  of 
the  colonization  laws  under  which  Americans  were  permit- 
ted to  settle  in  Texas.  But  in  defiance  of  these  arbitrary 
laws  they  worked  and  worshiped,  not  only  as  opportunity 
afforded,  but  as  they  made  the  opportunities  for  themselves. 

In  this  connection  the  name  of  Thomas  J.  Pilgrim,  the 
father  of  Sunday  Schools  in  Texas,  deserves  honorable  men- 
tion. A  native  of  Connecticut  he  came  from  New  York  in 
1828,  and  became  a  teacher  in  the  Austin  Colony.  In  1829 
he  conceived  the  idea  of  organizing  a  Sunday  School. 
Announcing  his  purpose  in  the  school  room,  and  naming  the 
following  Sunday  as  a  time  when  he  would  deliver  a  lecture 
on  the  subject,  he  was  surprised  to  find  when  the  time 
arrived,  a  large  attendance,  not  only  of  the  young,  but  of 
the  leading  people  of  the  colony,  both  of  men  and  women. 
These  lectures  he  continued  for  weeks,  accompanied  by 
other  instruction  in  accord  with  the  Scriptures,  and  the 
exercises  became  so  popular  that  people  would  come  the 
distance  of  many  miles  to  attend  them.  For  a  considerable 
period  the  school  was  continued,  but  it  was  eventually  cut 
short  in  its  career  by  the  interference  of  the  ever-menacing 
presence  of  Romanism.  This  was  the  first  Sunday  School 
ever  organized  in  the  state. 

Under    these    trying    conditions    there    were    sometimes 


00  IIISTOEV    OF    Tl-;XAS    BAPTISTS 

enacted  scenes  wliicli  recall  the  strns^i^les  of  the  early  days 
of  Christianity.  The  secrecy  with  which  worship  was  com- 
pelled to  be  ol)scrved  was  often  most  afifecting-.  Such  a 
scene  was  that  on  the  occasion  of  the  formation  of  the  first 
prayer-meeting  known  to  have  been  organized  in  Texas. 
Airs.  ]\Iassie  Millard,  whose  family  had  settled  a  few  miles 
north  of  the  Spanish  town  of  Nacogdoches,  in  the  com- 
munity where  now  stands  Old  Union  lUiptist  church,  was 
wont  to  gather  her  children  together,  at  night,  under  some 
trees  across  the  river  from  her  home,  for  the  purpose  of 
holding  family  devotion.  Uy  degrees  she  induced  others 
to  join  her  in  this  sacred  retreat,  and,  free  from  molestation, 

1  hey  continued  to  hold  these  prayer-meetings  for  a  period. 
These  devoted  women  would  meet  and  pray  at  night,  and 
during  the  day  "run"  bullets  for  the  rifles  of  their  husbands, 
wlio  were  engaged  in  the  defense  of  their  homes. 

Scenes  and  experiences  like  these  represent  the  con- 
ditions under  which  the  struggling  colonists  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Baptist  cause  in  Texas. 

'T^or  out  of  the  gloom  future  brightness  is  born, 
As  after  the  niQ-ht  comes  the  sunrise  of  morn." 


CHAPTER  11. 

A    BROADENING    HORIZON. 

The  period  on  which  we  now  enter  was  the  focus  of  a 
number  of  questions  which  had  been  converging  toward  a 
common  center  for  more  than  three  decades.  It  is  one  that 
furnishes  some  of  the  most  thrilling  and  romantic  chapters 
in  our  national  history,  but  which  can  here  only  be  hinted 
at.  Following  the  Louisiana  Purchase,  the  consummation 
of  which  was  a  violation  on  the  part  of  Napoleon  of  a 
secret  understanding  between  Spain  and  himself,  and  against 
which  violation  Spain  was  not  in  position  to  make  vigorous 
protest,  because  of  her  fear  of  the  French  emperor,  came 
the  question  of  the  relation  of  the  territory  of  Texas  to  the 
national  bargain  between  Jefferson  and  Napoleon.  Our 
government  asserted  her  claim  to  all  the  region  lying  east 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  while  Spain  set  up  the  counter  claim 
that  not  only  was  the  territory  of  Texas  hers,  but  a  con- 
siderable strip  also  lying  east  of  the  Sabine  in  western 
Louisiana.  In  1806  the  dispute  between  America  and 
Spain  was  suspended  on  a  mutual  agreement  to  designate 
a  certain  strip  of  territory  lying  between  the  Sabine  river 
and  the  Aroyo  Hondo,  a  branch  of  the  Red  river,  about 
seven  miles  west  of  Nacogdoches,  as  neutral  territory  till 
the  question  of  the  boundary  could  be  settled.  It  is  believed 
that  Spain  was  actuated  to  this  concession  solely  by  the 
apprehension  of  the  invasion  of  Mexico  by  Aaron  Burr. 

During  the  interval  from  1806  to  1819,  at  which  latter 
date  the  boundary  question  was  settled  by  the  agreement 
of  the  American  government  to  relinquish  all  claim  on 
Texas,  provided  that  Spain  would  sell  to  her  the  territory 
of  Florida,  there  were  enacted  some  of  the  most  thrilling 
scenes  in  our  history.  It  was  a  period  of  filibustering,  which 
has  a  history  all  its  own,  and  one  which  has  yet  to  be  fully 

21 


22  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

written.  In  this  domain  of  No  Man's  Land  were  gathered 
the  worst  elements  possible,  cnt-throats,  gamblers,  thieves, 
murderers,  the  vilest  of  the  vile,  affording  an  illustration 
of  the  immense  lengths  to  which  men  will  go  when  unre- 
strained by  the  strong  arm  of  the  law.  Romance,  adventure, 
crime  of  every  hue,  heroism,  superhuman  endurance,  vice, 
cruelty  and  sacrifice  held  high  and  varied  carnival  during  a 
brief  period  of  little  more  than  a  dozen  years.  Successive 
expeditions  undertook  to  w'ring  Texas  from  the  grip  of 
Spain,  but  each  in  succession  came  to  grief,  however  rosy 
the  prospects  were  when  undertaken. 

This  era  of  filibustering  was  followed  by  one  of  colon- 
ization. Fugitives  from  the  ill-starred  expeditions,  escaping 
to  the  older  states,  would  tell  the  story  of  the  goodly  land 
of  Texas,  far  and  wide,  which  led  to  the  formation  of 
colonies,  which  under  such  inspiration  sought  the  permis- 
sion of  Spain  to  locate  in  Texas.  It  may  be  easily  seen 
how  the  impression  came  to  prevail  that  Texas  w^as,  and. 
in  the  opinion  of  many  of  the  uninformed,  is  still,  a  land  of 
disorder  and  general  lawlessness.  This  request  on  the  part 
of  Spain  was  granted  under  the  imposition  of  the  most 
rigid  oath  of  loyalty  to  the  Spanish  crown  and  of  subscrip- 
tion to  the  Roman  Catholic  religion.  Following  is  the  out- 
line of  the  oath  prescribed  and  required  of  every  one  who 
at  that  time  settled  in  Texas : 

"In  the  town  of  ....  before  me  ....  came  ....  resid- 
ing in  this  place  and  took  a  solemn  oath  of  fidelity  to  our 
sovereign,  and  to  reside  permanently  in  his  royal  domin- 
ions; and  more  fully  to  manifest  it,  put  his  right  hand  on 
the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  swearing  before  God 
and  the  holy  cross  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  faithful  vassals  of 
his  most  Catholic  majesty,  to  act  in  obedience  to  all  laws 
of  Spain  and  the  Indies,  henceforth  adjuring  all  other 
allegiance  to  any  prince  or  potentate  whatever,  and  to  hold 
no  correspondence  with  any  foreign  power  without  permis- 
sion from  a  lawful  magistrate,  and  to  inform  against  such 
as  may  do  so,  or  use  seditious  language  unbecoming  a  good 
subject  of  Spain." 

During  this  period  there  were  twenty-six  colonies 
planted  in  different  parts  of  Texas,  to  each  of  which  was 


A    BEOADENING    HOEIZON  23 

given  a  considerable  grant  of  land.  The  subsequent  history 
of  the  state  shows  the  character  of  most  of  the  colonists 
that  came  alike  from  the  northern  and  southern  states. 
Various  inducements  served  to  attract  them  to  Texas. 

Looked  at  from  this  distance,  it  seems  clear  that  Provi- 
dence was  bringing  about  a  combination  of  conditions  in 
this  flux  of  population  in  its  character  and  in  the  scenes 
being  enacted  in  this  bustling  domain  of  the  West  favorable 
to  the  steady  development  of  a  great  empire.  Even  a  casual 
study  of  conditions  w'ill  reveal  the  fact  that  there  were 
drawn  hither,  from  divers  and  remote  directions,  the  very 
agencies  needed  to  accomplish  this  important  end.  The 
people  who  came  to  Texas  from  the  older  regions  of  the 
country  were  not  the  refuse  of  society  nor  the  scum  thrown 
off  as  the  result  of  criminal  agitations  elsewhere,  but  most 
of  those  who  removed  hither  during  these  early  stages  of 
Texas  history  were  men  and  women  of  conspicuous  worth, 
who  saw  in  the  vast  domain  toward  the  setting  sun  possi- 
bilities for  the  accomplishment  of  great  good  to  them- 
selves, and  through  themselves  to  the  world.  True,  there 
was  a  modicum  of  the  rift'-raff  and  vicious,  the  tares  among 
the  wheat,  the  motive  of  which  class  was  the  same  as  that 
of  the  same  class  left  behind  in  the  older  states.  From 
the  beginning  in  Texas  this  element  was  subordinated  to 
the  higher  stratum  of  social,  moral,  and  religious  life,  so 
prevalent  among  the  installments  of  population  which  peo- 
pled first  the  plains  of  the  West.  Besides  their  intrinsic 
merits,  which  would  have  w^on  recognition  in  any  quarter 
of  the  civilized  globe,  there  w^as  the  heroic  willingness  to 
endure  hardship  in  placing  the  foundation  stones  in  the 
basis  of  a  prospectively  great  commonw^ealth  beyond  the 
Mississippi.  IN'Iinisters  of  commanding  ability  and  ripe  in 
wisdom  and  in  piety ;  teachers  of  eminence  and  of  religious 
character ;  physicians  of  social  prestige  and  of  moral  influ- 
ence; lawyers,  jurists  and  statesmen,  distinguished  at  the 
bar,  on  the  bench  and  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  many 
of  whom  were  men  of  established  religious  character;  sol- 
diers whose  achievements  were  already  permanently  em- 
balmed in  their  country's  history,  and  capitalists,  planters, 
artisans,  not  a  few,  together  with  many  noble  women,  whose 


24:  IIIS'I'ORV    OF    TKXAS    n.VPTlSTS 

rftiiK'iiiciil,  culture,  and  religious  life  were  ecjual  to  those 
of  the  l)est  in  American  society — it  was  with  a  population 
like  this  that  Texas  was  first  peopled. 

From  the  Indian  haunts  far  up  the  Red  river,  whither 
he  had  gone  in  voluntary  exile  from  the  gubernatorial  chair 
of  Tennessee,  came  from  temporary  obscurity  Governor 
Houston,  whose  valor  was  Spartan,  whose  leadership  was 
pronounced,  and  whose  statesmanlike  qualities  peculiarly 
fitted  him  for  the  crucial  experiences  demanded  by  an 
embryonic  empire  struggling  to  the  birth.  He  was  destined 
to  become  in  after  years  a  distinguished  Baptist  layman, 
whose  virtues  were  as  emphatic  in  sacred  circles  as  were 
his  bravery  on  the  field,  and  his  sedate  wisdom  in  the  coun- 
cils of  state.  In  his  allusion  to  Houston,  in  his  Life  of 
Henry  Clay,  Carl  Schurz  says :  "He  went  to  Texas  for 
the  distinct  object  of  wresting  that  country  from  Mexico. 
There  is  reason  for  believing  that  President  Jackson 
was  not  ignorant  of  his  intentions." 

No  student  of  history  and  of  Providence  can  fail  to  see 
the  hand  of  God  directing  and  molding  the  incidents  and 
events  focusing  at  this  period  in  this  vast  fertile  empire, 
where  Nature  was  prodigal  of  her  richest  and  rarest  gifts, 
and  where  possibilities  of  goodly  achievement  were  without 
limit.  An  opportunity  so  exceptional,  at  such  a  time  and 
under  conditions  so  favorable,  was  e(iuivalent  to  the  sudden 
discovery  of  a  fertile  continent. 

Rapid  and  active  as  \vere  the  forces  of  material  develop- 
ment, the  religious  elements  were  not  a  Avhit  less  so.  ]Men 
and  women  of  God  had  come  to  Texas  impelled  by  as 
burning  zeal  as  ever  swayed  prophet  or  apostle  of  olden 
time,  and  with  a  mind  to  work.  So  soon  as  the  ban  of 
interdiction  was  raised,  by  means  of  the  declaration  of 
Texas  freedom,  churches  began  to  come  into  existence  and 
to  multiplx'.  and.  in  consequence,  religious  agencies  began 
to  thrive.  The  very  checks  and  balances  imposed  on  the 
new  and  unacquainted  population,  which  had  been  drawn 
together  from  widely  scattered  regions,  and  the  menacing 
pressure  of  prevailing  danger  confronting  the  newly  created 
Republic  at  the  threshold  of  tremendous  endeavor,  speedily 
welded  the  people  into  congeniality  of  spirit  and  co-opera- 


A    BROADENING    HORIZON  25 

tion  of  effort.  With  admirable  grace  and  with  the  gentle 
amenities  of  cultivated  life,  gentlemen  and  ladies,  who  had 
left  behind  them  elegant  homes  and  environments  of  culture 
in  the  older  sections  of  the  country,  meted  out  hospitality  to 
the  kindred  stranger  in  the  pioneer  log  cabin  of  the  western 
wilds,  and  shared  with  consummate  willingness  in  the  trials 
and  struggles  of  frontier  life.  The  decisiveness  of  personal 
choice  was  readily  subordinated  to  popular  consensus  for 
the  general  good,  and  ties  of  congenialitv  were  rapidly 
formed.  Thus  came  the  cement  of  all  elements  impelled 
by  the  single  controlling  desire  to  make  Texas  as  good 
materially,  socially  and  religiously  as  it  was  vast  in  the  sweep 
of  its  immense  territory.  It  was  under  conditions  such  as 
these  that  the  Republic  of  Texas  entered  on  its  career.  Nor 
has  there  been  an  abatement  of  this  spirit  as  one  of  the 
states  of  the  Union  in  contributing  to  the  expanding  great- 
ness of  the  nation  of  wdiich  it  became  an  important  part. 
Mexico,  having  become  independent  in  1824,  continued  to 
extend  to  the  colonists  of  Texas  the  same  rights  and  priv- 
ileges which  they  had  enjoyed  under  the  parent  country — 
Spain.  But  a  time  came  in  1836,  when  the  colonists  who 
had  removed  to  Texas  numbered  20,000,  while  the  Mexican 
population  in  the  state  did  not  exceed  5,000.  From  the 
time  when  Spain,  in  181Q,  relinquished  all  claims  to  Texas 
on  condition  that  Florida  be  sold  to  the  United  States,  there 
had  been  great  and  growing  discontent  among  the  people  of 
Texas.  They  openly  denied  the  right  of  the  government 
thus  to  effect  a  trade  which  involved  their  liberties.  This 
was  enhanced  by  the  sense  of  self-assertion  and  security 
which  came  of  the  growth  of  numbers  of  the  twenty-six 
colonies  occupying  different  parts  of  the  state.  Then,  too, 
Texas  was  a  prize  worthy  the  wanning.  With  400  miles 
of  sea  coast,  and  with  an  area  of  170,099,200  acres  embrac- 
ing that  which  is  comparable  to  the  most  fertile  on  the 
globe,  with  a  climate  of  rare  salubrity,  with  limitless  for- 
ests, and  with  a  varied  productiveness — these  were  weighty 
considerations  when  reinforced  by  the  current  belief  that 
Texas  properly  belonged  to  the  United  States,  and  in 
denial  of  the  right  of  the  government  to  dispose  of  her  in 
the  international  market. 


2G  IIISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

At  any  rate,  the  year  1836  found  the  people  ready  for 
independence.  At  GoHad  the  citizens  and  soldiers  had 
already  made  formal  declaration.  So  popular  had  the 
spirit  become,  that  a  general  convention  was  called  to  meet 
at  the  town  of  Washington,  on  March  i,  1836.  The  larg- 
est room  in  the  town  was  a  blacksmith  shop  belonging  to 
a  Baptist  preacher,  Rev.  N.  T.  Byars.  The  declaration  was 
drawn  and  signed  by  about  sixty  men  on  March  2,  1836. 
The  war  followed  with  its  Goliad,  Alamo  and  San  Jacinto, 
at  which  last-named  place  General  Houston  dealt  a  crush- 
ing blow  to  Santa  Anna,  and  procured  the  independence  of 
the  Republic. 

The  last  difficulty  was  now  lifted  from  the  path  of  the 
emigrant.  For  years  following,  canvas-covered  wagons 
wended  their  w^ay  from  the  older  states  to  Texas,  while 
steamers  laden  with  emigrants  landed  at  the  ports  along  the 
gulf  shore.  Among  those  who  came  at  this  time  were  many 
Baptists.  While  some  had  been  in  the  state  ever  since 
1822,  they  dared  not  undertake  to  establish  a  stated  place 
of  worship,  and  call  it  a  church.  Now  they  were  free  to 
do  so.  In  his  history  of  Texas,  Thrall  says  that  a  Baptist 
church  was  in  existence  in  Austin's  Colony  as  early  as 
1833,  but  in  this  he  is  evidently  mistaken,  and  the  statement 
is  doubtless  due.  to  the  seasons  of  worship  held,  as  the  or- 
ganization of  a  church  at  that  time  was  out  of  the  question. 
It  was  not  till  1837  that  a  Baptist  church  was  organized, 
which  organization  took  place  at  Washington  w'ith  a  mem- 
bership of  eight.  Application  was  at  once  made  to  the 
Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York  for  aid  with  which  to 
maintain  the  organization,  as  well  as  to  be  enabled  to  prose- 
cute evangelistic  work  in  different  parts  of  the  new  Re- 
public. An  offer  was  made  to  appoint  Rev.  Z.  N.  Morrell, 
as  missionary,  but  he  declined,  when  Revs.  James  Huckins 
and  W^  M.  Tryon  were  appointed. 

The  organization  of  the  church  at  Washington  was  fol- 
lowed by  that  of  others  as  rapidly  as  conditions  favored. 
In  May.  1838,  a  church  was  organized  about  four  miles 
north  of  Nacogdoches,  called  Union,  though  it  is  some- 
times know^n  as  the  Old  North  Church,  due  perhaps  to  its 
direction  from  Nacogdoches.    It  will  be  remembered  that  it 


A    BROADENING    HORIZON  27 

was  here  that  the  intrepid  Reed  had  been  gathering  for  sev- 
eral years  a  body  of  worshipers  under  the  shades  of  the 
trees,  and  while  the  privilege  of  building  a  meeting  house 
was  denied  him,  under  the  legal  restrictions  of  the  land, 
he  evaded  the  literal  construction  of  the  law  by  erecting  a 
log  house  in  Avliich  he  met  the  people  and  worshiped.  On 
the  occasion  of  the  constitution  of  the  church,  Reed  was 
aided  by  Rev.  Robert  G.  Green.  At  the  same  time  B.  F. 
Whitaker  was  received  into  the  church  and  was  baptized. 
This  w-as  perhaps  the  first  baptism  administered  in  Texas. 
During  the  year  following,  the  church  was  greatly  strength- 
ened by  a  revival  conducted  by  the  pastor.  Rev.  Isaac  Reed. 
Already  a  shift  had  begun  in  the  population  of  Texas, 
which  resulted  in  the  extinction  of  the  church  organized 
just  the  year  before  at  Washington.  Scarcely  a  year  later 
than  the  creation  of  the  Union  church  in  Nacogdoches 
county,  came  that  of  Plum  Grove  church  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Colorado  river.  This  organization  was  effected 
by  Rev.  R.  G.  Green  who  was  aided  by  Rev.  Eli  Dancer. 
The  organization  of  this  church  was  preceded  by  an  awak- 
ening in  the  community  under  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Morrell. 
As  a  result,  at  the  organization,  nine  were  received  for 
baptism.  A  Mrs.  Dancer  was  present  on  this  occasion  as 
a  candidate  for  baptism  in  the  anti-missionary  church,  fur- 
ther up  the  river.  Rev.  Abner  Smith,  the  pastor  of  the  anti- 
missionary  church,  sent  a  request  to  Mr.  Morrell  to  baptize 
Mrs.  Dancer,  as  her  pastor  was  in  too  feeble  health  to  per- 
form the  ceremony.  The  request  was  complied  with,  and 
Mr.  Morrell  had  the  privilege  of  baptizing  his  first  con- 
vert in  Texas.  The  organization  of  this  church  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  marked  revival  during  which  many  passed  into 
the  kingdom.  When  two  wrecks  later,  the  announcement 
of  an  approaching  baptismal  occasion  was  made,  a  vast 
multitude  gathered  to  witness  the  scene.  People  came  the 
distance  of  forty  miles  from  different  directions  to  witness 
it.  It  was  verily  a  notable  day  in  the  history  of  the  Bap- 
tists of  the  state,  w^hen  in  full  view  of  assembled  hundreds, 
from  points  remote  and  near,  nine  persons  were  baptized  in 
the  waters  of  the  Colorado.  A  small  building  with  a  brush 
arbor  in  front,  had  been  erected,  and  Judge  R.  E.  B.  Baylor, 


o;^  IIISTORV    OF    TKXAS    liAPTISTS 

wlio  had  lately  removed  from  Alaljama.  preaehed  with  great 
efifcctivcness.  The  impressiveness  of  the  occasion  was 
s^reatly  enhanced  hy  the  ohservance  of  the  Lord's  supper  in 
this  little  log  calkin,  the  first  ohservance  of  that  ordinance  by 
I5aptists  in  Texas. 

In  order  of  time,  the  church  at  Independence  w'as  next 
organized,  the  constitution  taking  place  on  the  Saturday  be- 
fore the  first  Sunday  in  September,  1839.  The  founder  of 
this  -church  was  Rev.  Thomas  Spraggins,  of  Mississippi, 
who  organized  the  church  wdiile  on  a  visit  to  Texas.  The 
original  membership  was  twelve,  most  of  whom  had  come 
from  wSouth  Carolina.  It  was  here  that  Mrs.  Lydia  AUcorn 
was  received,  though  she  had  been  converted  under  Hanks 
several  years  before.  The  organization  was  followed  by  a 
meeting  of  immense  power  conducted  by  Rev.  W.  M.  Try- 
on,  and  thirty-four  were  baptized,  and  twenty-one  were  re- 
ceived by  letter.  This  made  the  Independence  church  the 
strongest  in  the  Republic.  Rev.  T.  W.  Cox.  late  of  Ala- 
bama, w^as  chosen  pastor,  and  later  Rev.  W.  M.  Tryon  was 
chosen  joint  pastor.  (  )n  the  retirement  of  Cox,  in  1841, 
Tryon  became  pastor. 

During  the  same  year,  1839,  two  other  churches,  Travis 
and  Lagrange  were  constituted.  At  the  former  of  these  the 
convention  met  to  found  the  first  association  in  the  state 
— the  L^nion.  Rev.  T.  \\\  Cox  became  the  pastor  of  both 
these  churches.  They  were  germs  of  denominational 
growth  and  power.  From  them  sprang  nuich  that  has  made 
the  Baptists  of  Texas  famous. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SOLIDIFICATION    UNDER    DIFFICULTIES. 

Organizations  among  tlie  Baptists  scattered  over  the 
broad  face  of  the  territory  of  Texas,  having  once  begun, 
was  continued  without  abatement.  The  dominant  idea 
among  the  leading  spirits  was  to  get  closer  together  in  com- 
pact organization.  This  desire  was  whetted  on  the  part 
both  of  preachers  and  people,  by  reason  of  the  former  de- 
nial of  the  privileges  of  social  worship,  excepting  at  inci- 
dental times,  and  under  apprehensive  conditions ;  and  now 
that  the  way  to  organization  lay  open,  they  hailed  it  with 
delight.  Still,  disadvantages  great  and  grave  stood  in  the 
way.  Settlements,  some  of  which  w^ere  small,  were  widely 
scattered,  and  only  a  few  Baptists  were  to  be  found  in  each. 
The  number  of  preachers  was  limited,  and  unless  one  hap- 
pened to  be  near  a  given  settlement,  the  opportunity  to 
preach  was  rare.  Methods  of  travel  were  primitive,  being 
on  foot  or  on  pony-back.  I'ecause  of  this  segregation,  com- 
munity ties  were  difficult,  and  co-operation  almost  out  of 
the  question.  Preachers  had  to  perform  manual  labor  dur- 
ing the  week  and  preach  on  Sunday,  commercial  commodi- 
ties were  scarce,  the  homes  of  the  people  were  the  most 
unpretentious,  afifording  only  scant  comfort,  and  each  settler 
was  eking  out  a  bare  maintenance.  The  stiff,  stubborn  soil, 
tliough  fertile,  was  difficult  of  cultivation,  with  only  the 
most  primitive  implements  at  command,  and  they  scarce. 
Not  infrequently  the  necessaries  of  life  were  in  great  de- 
mand, and  so  cheap  and  common  a  commoditv  as  salt  could 
not  always  be  had.  On  occasions  of  drought,  which  came 
now  and  then,  water  was  difficult  to  obtain,  and  the  wild 
game  of  the  woods  and  plains,  on  which  so  many  had  to 
rely  for  meat,  would  migrate  to  other  quarters.  Then  over- 
shadowing all,  were  the  tierce  Indian  tribes  who  were  liable, 

29 


30 


IllSTOHV    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


at  any  moiiK'iit,  to  spring  from  unconjcctured  coverts  and 
deal  out  desolation  and  death.  Discouragements  like  these, 
and  still  others  not  named  in  this  gloomy  catalogue,  barri- 
caded the  progress  of  the  denomination  at  the  period  now 
under  consideration. 

Still  the  uncon(iucral)lc  Baptist  i)rcachcr  was  abroad  as 
an  evangelistic  force,  and  was  active  everywhere.     Making 


Di;.   v..   II.   (AKKOLL.   WAi  1 1,    J  i:XA.S. 


the  most  of  the  slim  advantages  afforded,  and  grappling 
with  the  grim  problems  of  frontier  life,  these  men  prose- 
cuted their  work  with  unabated  vigor.  As  occasion  would 
require,  the  preacher  would  shoulder  his  musket  and  share 
in  the  dangers  and  casualties  of  battle,  and  while  not  thus 
engaged,  and  while  not  necessarily  employed  on  his  little 
farm,  he  would  encourage  and  stimulate  godliness  and  urge 
to  repentance. 


SOLIDIFICATION    UNDER    DIFFICULTIES  31 

Among  the  most  active  of  the  missionary  agents  of  the 
time  was  Rev.  James  Huckins,  who  was  working  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York.  A 
native  of  Vermont,  a  self-made  man,  he  graduated  from 
Brown  University,  mainly  through  his  own  exertions,  and 
served  as  pastor  in  New  England,  and  later  in  South  Caro- 
lina and  Georgia,  as  missionary  of  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety. It  is  believed  that  it  was  he  who  induced  Jesse  Mer- 
cer to  give  $2,500  to  the  Home  Mission  Society  to  be  used 
in  Texas.  Coming  to  Texas  in  1839,  Mr.  Huckins  devoted 
his  exceptional  gifts  to  the  enormous  demands  of  this  terri- 
tory. By  means  of  his  pen  in  private  correspondence  and  in 
the  press,  he  furnished  much  valuable  information  concern- 
ing the  situation  in  Texas,  and  aroused  much  interest  in  be- 
half of  this  region.  Supplementing  this  with  a  visit  to  "the 
states,"  he  preached  throughout  the  North  on  the  importance 
of  taking  time  by  the  forelock,  by  beginning  at  once  the 
evangelization  of  the  people  of  Texas.  So  impressed  was 
the  Home  Mission  Society  by  the  appeals  of  Mr.  Huckins, 
that  it  called  for  volunteers  who  were  willing  to  labor  in 
the  remote  region  of  the  Republic  of  Texas  as  mission- 
aries. Seven  responded  with  commendable  promptness, 
but  only  two  of  the  seven  ever  came — James  Huckins  and 
W.  M.  Tryon.  The  first  notable  service  rendered  by  Huck- 
ins was  that  of  the  organization  of  the  First  Baptist  church 
of  Galveston,  with  a  membership  of  nine,  which  organiza- 
tion took  place  on  January  30,  1840.  The  cosmopolitan 
character  of  the  population  of  Texas,  even  at  that  time, 
and  it  is  much  truer  today,  may  be  seen  from  the  fact  that 
of  this  limited  membership  the  states  of  New  Hampshire, 
Massachusetts,  Maine,  New  York,  Connecticut  and  Louisi- 
ana were  represented.  Among  these  were  Gail  Borden,  of 
condensed  milk  fame,  and  his  wife  Penelope  Mercer  Bor- 
den, both  of  whom  were  baptized  in  the  gulf,  the  first  time 
perhaps  that  these  waters  were  thus  ever  disturbed.  Mrs. 
Borden  was  a  niece  of  Jesse  Mercer,  and  proved  to  be  the 
first  visible  fruits  of  the  liberal  contribution  made  by  that 
distinguished  brother  to  the  cause  of  this  region.  Little 
more  than  a  year  later,  on  May  22,  1841,  Mr.  Huckins  or- 
ganized the   First  Baptist   church   of  Houston.     Between 


;y2  IIISTOUV     OF    TKXA8    BAl'TiST.S 

these  two  points  he  labored  as  missionary  pastor,  initil  per- 
manent pastoral  settlements  could  be  had.  He  supple- 
mented his  slender  stipend  by  teaching,  and  was  instrumen- 
tal in  founding  the  Galveston  Lyceum,  <jne  of  the  institu- 
tions which  aided  in  making  that  city  one  of  the  most  cul- 
tured in  the  South. 

The  year  1840  was  ushered  in  as  one  of  gloom  to  the 
young  Republic.  The  accumulating  troubles  of  the  preced- 
ing years  were  bequeathed  for  disastrous  consummation  to 
this  one.  In  swaddling  clothes,  the  infant  nation  was  seek- 
ing to  walk  alone  amidst  obstructions  the  most  appalling. 
The  affairs  of  the  new  Republic  were  precarious.  The  cur- 
rency was  demoralized,  and,  of  course,  business  was  de- 
pressed. In  some  instances  the  conditions  of  the  settlers 
were  deplorable.  Failure  of  crops,  resulting  from  the  re- 
peated call  to  arms,  to  check  the  depredations  of  the  Indians, 
brought  temporary  disaster.  The  depreciated  currency  of 
the  Republic  was  brought  into  .such  straits  of  contempt,  that 
a  Texas  dollar  was  worth  only  fourteen  cents  in  the  market. 
These  conditions  served  as  a  severe  and  summary  check  to 
immigration.  The  new  Republic  seemed  ready  to  fall  to 
pieces  of  its  ow^n  incoherency,  at  the  very  threshold  of  its 
being.  The  wisest  of  the  leaders  stood  dismayed  in  their 
inability  to  provide  a  remedy.  While  men  brave  of  heart 
and  wise  in  council  were  grappling  with  the  grave  affairs  of 
state,  the  missionary  was  undaunted  and  unabated  in  his 
work.  Helplessness  begot  dependence,  and  dependence,  in 
turn,  brought  men  and  women  on  their  knees  in  prayer. 
\\'hen  they  were  weak,  then  were  they  strong.  Here  as 
always  elsewhere,  religion  is  the  most  powerful  of  dissolv- 
ents. It  was  a  time  of  earnest  prayer.  The  very  heavens 
were  daily  rent  with  the  earnest  prayers  of  God's  people. 
Still  the  disasters  grew.  Not  the  flock  of  a  cloud  of  hope 
was  on  the  horizon. 

To  add  to  the  thickening  troubles,  the  Indians,  under  the 
instigation  of  the  Mexican  government,  began  a  war  of 
desolation  and  extinction.  Settlements  were  blotted  out,  the 
homes  and  eff'ects  of  the  people  over  the  country  were 
burned,  and  helpless  women  and  children  were  murdered. 
Texas,  to  a  man,  was  aroused,  and  a  war  of  extermination 


SOLIDIFICATION    UNDEE   DIFFICULTIES  33 

was  begun  against  the  savages.  At  the  head  of  the  Texans 
was  Col.  Edward  Burleson,  a  famous  Indian  fighter,  who 
was  indebted  to  Rev.  Z.  N.  Morrell  for  valuable  informa- 
tion which  led  to  the  complete  rout  of  the  Indians  at  the 
battle  of  Plum  Creek.  In  the  ranks  of  the  Texan  army  on 
this  decisive  occasion  were  three  Baptist  preachers — Z.  N. 
Morrell,  R.  E.  B.  Baylor,  and  T.  W.  Cox.  Braver  men 
never  shouldered  muskets. 

In  order  to  a  more  compact  organization  of  the  Baptist 
forces,  in  the  most  populous  part  of  Texas,  it  was  deemed 
wise  to  organize  a  district  association.  Accordingly  in 
June,  1840,  a  few  met  at  Independence  and  resolved  on 
such  an  organization.  Travis  church  was  chosen  as  the 
place  of  meeting,  and  October  8,  1840,  as  the  time.  At  the 
appointed  time,  messengers  from  three  churches  met,  and 
the  Union  Association  was  created.  T.  W.  Cox  was  chosen 
moderator,  J.  W.  Collins  clerk,  and  R.  E.  B.  Baylor  corre- 
sponding secretary.  A  constitution,  articles  of  faith,  rules 
of  decorum,  and  a  bill  of  inalienable  rights  were  adopted. 
This  last  anomalous  element  in  the  constitution  of  a  Baptist 
association  seems  the  outgrowth  of  certain  material  differ- 
ences of  sentiment  among  the  messengers.  Short  of  some 
compromise  measure  like  this,  it  would  seem  that  the  or- 
ganization of  the  body  was  out  of  the  question.  Subsequent 
events  will  serve  to  shed  some  light  on  this  peculiar  situa- 
tion.   The  bill  of  rights  runs  as  follows : 

"Article  I.  Each  church  is  forever  free  and  independent 
of  any  and  every  ecclesiastical  body,  formed  by  men  on 
earth;  each  being  the  free  household  of  Christ.  Therefore 
every  ordination  and  power  granted  by  the  churches,  ema- 
nating as  they  do  from  the  churches,  those  who  are  thus 
ordained,  or  upon  whom  such  power  is  conferred,  must  be 
to  her  forever  obedient. 

"Article  II.  Each  member  shall  forever  have  a  full  and 
free  right  to  exercise  his  or  her  discretion  in  contribution 
to  the  support  of  missions,  general  benevolence,  etc.,  and  in 
other  matters  that  may  not  lead  to  immorality." 

Just  how  a  body  like  this  could  assume  sovereign  power 
and  designate  and  define  what  should  be  the  duties  of  a 
member  of  a  Baptist  church,  is  not  clear.     If  its  intention 


;J4  IllS'l'oin'    ()L^    TIOXAS    BAl'TJHTS 

was  one  of  conciliation,  because  of  the  diverse  views  held  by 
the  members,  then  it  failed  of  its  purpose,  for  at  the  next 
session  of  the  body  that  same  bill  of  rights  bore  its  legiti- 
mate fruit.  There  is  never  apology  for  compromise  or 
sacrifice  of  principle.  The  name  given  the  association  was 
one  the  intention  of  which  was  reconciliation — Union  Asso- 
ciation. While  within  the  action  there  seems  to  lurk  the 
suggestion  of  conciliation  and  harmony,  it  was  the  roses 
that  covered  a  sharp  sword.  The  first  session  closed  on 
Sunday  with  a  sermon  preached  beneath  some  wide-spread- 
ing live-oaks,  in  the  presence  of  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  people. 

Between  the  first  and  second  sessions  of  the  Union  As- 
sociation, which  was  the  only  general  body  of  the  Baptists 
of  Texas,  and  from  which  has  grown  all  their  institutions, 
the  j\Iount  Gilead  church  in  Washington  county  was  or- 
ganized. This  took  place  in  1841,  and  was  followed  by  the 
rehabilitation  of  the  church  at  Washington,  which  had  dis- 
solved a  year  after  its  organization,  in  1837.  The  revival  of 
this  suspended  interest  was  due  to  the  management  and 
activity  of  W.  M.  Tryon.  Gathering  the  remnants  of  the 
original  membership  together,  and  procuring  the  accession 
of  others  to  the  ranks  of  the  church,  Mv.  Tryon  called  to 
his  aid  Judge  R.  E.  B.  Baylor  in  the  reorganization,  \vhich 
reorganization  took  place  on  the  second  Sunday  in  March, 
1 841,  and  the  church  was  thereafter  called  Washington 
church  Number  2.  Under  Tryon  the  church  assumed  fresh 
life.  While  in  the  reorganization  there  were  only  eleven 
members,  there  was  a  revival  in  the  church  three  months 
later  which  resulted  in  the  addition  of  twenty-five  by  letter, 
and  twenty-nine  by  baptism.  This  made  it  one  of  the  strong- 
est churches  in  the  Republic. 

The  accession  of  W.  JM.  Tryon  to  the  ranks  of  the  Bap- 
tist ministry  of  Texas  at  this  period  was  most  fortunate.  A 
native  of  New  York,  he  w-as  converted  in  his  seventeenth 
year,  entered  on  the  vocation  of  a  tailor,  and  with  his  needle 
supported  himself  and  his  widowed  mother.  In  early  man- 
hood he  removed  to  Augusta,  Georgia,  where  later  he  en- 
tered the  ministry,  went  to  Mercer  Institute,  now  Mercer 
University,  and  after  a  course  of  study  of  three  years,  was 


SOLlDIi^lCATION    UNBEE    DIFFICULTIES  55 

called  to  Washington,  Georgia,  and  subsequently  to  Lump- 
kin and  Columbus,  and  to  Eufaula  and  Wetumpka,  Ala- 
bama, from  which  last  point  the  summons  came  from  New 
York  to  cast  his  lot  in  Texas. 

On  October  2,  1841,  came  the  second  session  of  the 
Union  Association  at  the  Lagrange  or  Clear  Creek  church, 
in  Fayette  county.  The  attendance  and  the  spirit  of  this 
session  was  in  excess  of  those  of  the  year  before.  The  min- 
isterial strength  of  the  denomination  was  present  in  full 
force.  Morrell,  Baylor,  Huckins,  Tryon,  Cox,  Byars,  Davis 
and  others  were  present.  Such  an  array  of  strength  would 
lend  dignity  and  power  to  a  Baptist  association  anywhere. 
The  skies  were  brighter  and  the  flash  of  hope  was  in  the  eye 
of  every  leader.  They  had  wrought  well,  and  there  was 
an  occasion  for  joy.  Progress  was  the  inspiring  slogan  of 
the  hour.  W.  AL  Tryon  was  chosen  moderator,  and  the 
1:)ody  set  itself  to  the  task  of  organizing  a  central  board  to 
be  known  as  the  Home  JNIission  Society,  as  auxiliary  to 
the  parent  organization  of  the  same  name  in  New  York. 
A  grateful  acceptance  of  an  editorial  column  in  the  Baptist 
Banner  and  Western  Pioneer,  of  Kentucky,  was  made,  and 
Huckins  was  chosen  as  the  editorial  representative  from 
Texas.  In  the  paucity  of  denominational  journals,  the  "cir- 
cular letter,"  as  it  was  called,  served  as  a  sort  of  mouth- 
piece of  the  local  associations  in  the  South.  This  was 
adopted  by  the  Union  Association,  and  Huckins  was  ap- 
pointed to  prepare  such  a  letter  for  insertion  into  the  Min- 
utes. The  letter  was  an  able  one,  and  addressed  itself  to  a 
review  of  Baptist  principles  and  practices,  and  while  it 
abounded  in  inspiration  and  encouragement,  it  also  sounded 
a  note  of  warning  against  any  departure  from  the  faith, 
however  slight.  The  occasion  of  such  stress  at  this  time 
soon  became  manifest. 

At  this  session  of  the  association  were  planted  the  germs 
of  the  Baptist  institutions  of  learning  in  Texas.  W.  M. 
Tryon  was  the  originator  of  the  movement  to  found  an 
Education  Society,  looking  to  the  establishment  of  an  in- 
stitution of  learning.  He  framed  a  resolution  which  was 
read  by  the  corresponding  secretary.  Judge  Baylor,  and 
adopted.     It  was  as  follows : 


3G  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

'■Resolved,  That  this  association  recommend  the  forma- 
tion of  an  Education  Society,  and  that  our  friends  and' 
brethren  be  invited  to  become  members  of  it." 

This  led  to  a  partial  organization  on  the  spot,  but  the 
society  was  not  fully  equipped  for  work  till  two  years  later. 

The  divergences  which  were  sought  to  be  harmonized 
the  year  before,  were  aggressively  developed  at  this  session 
of  the  body.  Rev.  T.  W.  Cox,  the  pastor,  and  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  with  which  the  association  was  meeting, 
preached  one  night  during  the  session.  After  the  close  of 
the  sermon,  one  or  more  candidates  presented  themselves  for 
membership,  when  Mr.  Cox  proceeded  to  receive  them  after 
the  manner  adopted  by  the  followers  of  Alexander  Camp- 
bell. Some  of  the  messengers  present  insisted  on  a  state- 
ment of  experience  by  the  candidates,  which  gave  rise  to  a 
spirited  discussion,  in  which  Tryon  and  Huckins  were  the 
most  conspicuous.  Cox  defended  with  vigor  his  position, 
and  openly  avowed  his  espousal  of  the  views  of  Campbell. 
The  discussion  was  prolonged  to  a  late  hour  of  the  night, 
and  the  reception  of  the  members  was  postponed.  The  in- 
terest in  the  affairs  of  the  association  gave  way  to  the  sensa- 
tion produced  by  the  adoption  of  the  new  views  by  T.  W. 
Cox.  It  seems  to  have  been  generally  understood  that  Cox 
was  congenially  affected  by  the  principles  of  Campbellism, 
and  it  was  known  that  he  had  been  preaching  in  accordance 
with  them,  and  had  received  a  number  of  members  into  the 
churches  according  to  the  method  prescribed  by  Campbell. 
AVhether  this  previous  knowledge  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
messengers  can  be  taken  to  account  for  the  peculiar  condi- 
tion of  a  pastor  occupying  his  own  pulpit  on  an  occasion  like 
this,  is  purely  inferential;  but  it  would  seem  that  the  mes- 
sengers were  as  anxious  to  hear  Cox  as  he  was  to  be  heard. 
This  seems  to  be  the  explanation  of  the  improprieties  of  the 
occasion.  As  a  result  of  the  procedure,  ^lorrell  was  pre- 
vailed on  to  remain  to  the  meeting  of  the  church  conference 
on  the  following  Saturday,  in  order  to  procure  the  exclusion 
of  Cox  from  the  church.  Morrell  was  as  courageous  as  he 
was  prudent,  and  though  strong  domestic  demands  were  on 
him  to  return  home,  he  remained.  The  intervening  time  was 
spent  between  JNIorrell  and  Cox  in  tactical  maneuvers  among 


SOLIDIFICATION    UNDER    DIFFICULTIES  37 

tlie  members,  and  Saturday  found  both  confident  and  deter- 
mined. 

The  day  of  the  conference  came.  Morrell  was  present 
and  Cox  ignored  him  and  proceeded  to  preach.  After  the 
sermon,  Cox  proceeded  to  receive  a  large  number  into  the 
church,  in  order,  as  was  supposed,  to  forestall  any  action 
on  the  part  of  Morrell.  On  the  other  hand,  Morrell,  who  had 
anticipated  such  an  emergency,  had  provided  himself  with 
documentary  evidence  from  Judge  Baylor,  which  evidence 
he  had  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  member  who,  with  many 
others,  was  opposed  to  the  course  of  Cox.  Before  a  motion 
was  made  to  receive  such  as  had  offered  themselves  for 
membership,  Mr.  Morrell  arose  and  protested  against  the 
proceeding  on  the  ground  of  the  heresy  of  the  pastor.  Cox 
boldly  demanded  the  proof  of  such  a  charge.  At  this  junc- 
ture the  member  to  whom  the  evidence  had  been  given,  pro- 
ceeded to  read  of  the  exclusion  of  Cox  from  a  church  in 
Alabama,  just  before  he  came  to  Texas,  the  exclusion  being 
because  of  fraud.  The  church  entertained  the  charges  by  a 
bare  majority.  Then  the  contest  began  in  earnest.  Cox  was 
a  man  of  no  mean  ability,  vigorous  and  effective  in  speech, 
incisive  in  thrust,  ingenious  in  evasion,  and  persuasive  in 
power.  He  was  more  than  a  match  for  Morrell  in  the  rough 
and  tumble  of  debate,  but  Morrell  excelled  in  courage,  in 
coolness,  and  in  prudence.  He  was  amply  able  to  parry  the 
blows  of  his  adversary,  because  of  the  possession  of  these 
qualities.  So  popular  was  Cox  that  it  was  difficult  to  induce 
the  church  to  recognize  his  guilt,  even  after  it  was  estab- 
lished. These  charges  brought  to  the  surface  others  in 
which  Cox  was  proved  to  be  guilty  of  false  statements  on 
more  than  one  occasion.  A  protracted  discussion  and  in- 
vestigation followed  this  episode,  the  result  of  which  was  the 
exclusion  of  Cox.  This  action  involved  other  churches  of 
which  Cox  w-as  the  pastor.  Those  in  sympathy  with  him  at 
Independence  were  excluded,  while  he  was  sustained  by  the 
Travis  church,  his  followers  being  in  the  majority.  They 
accordingly  voted  themselves  letters,  and  organized  a  church 
in  harmony  with  the  views  of  Cox  on  Kentucky  Ridge,  of 
which  church  Cox  was  made  the  pastor.  Cox  grew  more 
vicious,  devoting  much  time  to  gambling  and  horse-racing,- 


-y  llISTolfV    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

and  eventually  became  an  abandoned  man.  Rev.  J.  L.  Davis, 
another  pastor  in  the  association,  who  was  in  sympathy 
witii  Cox,  withdrew  from  the  Baptists  soon  after  the  exclu- 
sion of  Cox.  The  excluded  members  at  Independence  never 
organized. 

The  course  pursued  by  ]\Iorrell  and  others  set  the  pace 
of  Baptist  principles  in  these  early  days  in  Texas.  Policy 
would  have  prescribed  a  different  course,  when  numbers 
were  few  and  the  conditions  unfavorable  for  disturbance, 
but  these  men  preferred  principle  to  policy. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

GAINING    A    SOLID    FOOTING, 

By  this  time,  1842,  the  Baptists  of  Texas  had  at  last 
made  a  beginning".  With  the  nucleus  of  a  few  well  organ- 
ized churches  and  one  district  association,  the  leaders  were 
encouraged  to  enter  on  a  more  extended  work.  A  strenu- 
ous campaign  was  begun  to  reach  as  speedily  as  possible 
the  stage  where  the  denomination  would  be  fully  equipped 
to  engage  equally  in  educational  and  missionary  effort. 
The  Baptists  were  still  a  feeble  folk,  few  in  numbers,  and 
of  limited  means,  but  the  population  of  the  Republic  was 
steadily  swelling,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  the  re- 
sources, within  a  few  years,  with  abundant  natural  elements 
about  them,  as  there  was  none  of  the  loyalty  of  the  denomi- 
nation, judging  from  the  type  of  character  in  the  rank  and 
file  of  the  Baptists. 

Marked  political  changes  were  taking  place  which 
augured  the  rapid  improvement  of  the  young  Republic. 
General  Houston  was  at  the  head  of  the  government,  and 
soon  wrought  a  most  beneficial  change  in  the  finances  of  the 
Republic,  while  by  a  policy  of  conciliation,  he  subdued  the 
asperities  of  the  Indian  tribes.  With  these  chief  difficul- 
ties out  of  the  way,  relief  and  confidence  came  again  to  the 
struggling  population.  vStill  there  were  difficulties  arising 
from  an  occasional  invasion  of  Texas  on  the  south,  by  the 
Mexicans.  This  expression  of  hostility  was  due  to  the  fact 
that  Santa  Anna,  who  had  come  again  to  the  head  of  af^ 
fairs  in  Mexico,  was  anxious  to  prevent  the  annexation  of 
Texas  to  the  "American  Union.  It  had  been  given  out  at 
Washington,  that  so  long  as  Texas  and  Mexico  were  at 
war,  the  United  States,  as  a  neutral  nation,  had  no  right  to 
espouse  the  cause  of  either.     This  encouraged  Mexico  to 

39 


40  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

c-uiitiiuic  to  harass  Texas,  so  as  to  create  the  impression  that 
the  two  countries  were  still  at  w-ar. 

Another  cause  operated  to  deter  a  greater  inflow  of 
population  and  to  weaken  public  confidence,  which  was  the 
turbulence  in  eastern  Texas,  arising  from  the  feuds  and 
conflicts  between  the  Regulators  and  the  Moderates.  The 
Regulators  were  those  who  had  occupied  the  neutral  terri- 
tory named  by  Spain  and  the  United  States,  an  unsavory 
class  of  freebooters,  and  the  Moderates  were  those  who 
organized  to  suppress  the  others  and  were  scarcely  better. 
These  difficulties  were  greatly  modified  or  overcome  by 
President  Houston.  Naturally,  eastern  Texas  would  be 
the  first  part  of  the  state  to  be  developed,  but  the  conditions 
already  named  greatly  hindered  the  progress  of  that  region. 

However,  the  work  of  the  Baptist  missionaries  went 
bravely  on.  Three  more  important  churches  had  been  or- 
ganized, those  of  Chapel  Hill,  Providence  and  Gonzales. 
The  ministerial  forces  were  being  increased  by  recruits 
from  other  states,  among  whom  may  be  named  as  recent 
arrivals  Rev.  Leonard  Herrin,  who  came  in  1841,  and  lo- 
cated in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Republic,  and  Revs.  Hosea 
and  O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  both  of  whom  founded  homes  in 
Washington  county,  and  engaged  in  pastoral  work  in  that 
section. 

The  third  session  of  the  Union  Association  was  not  held 
according  to  prearrangement  by  reason  of  serious  disturb- 
ances on  the  eastern  and  southern  borders  of  the  Republic. 
However,  Morrell,  Tryon  and  Baylor  conferred  together 
and  determined  to  hold  a  meeting  of  the  body  at  Mt.  Gilead 
church  on  November  26,  1842.  Twelve  churches  were 
represented,  and  three  other  new  churches  came  into  the 
membership  of  the  association  at  this  session.  The  session 
was  more  formal  than  usual,  because  all  eyes  were  turned 
toward  the  two  centers  of  disturl)ance  on  the  east  and 
south.  Nothing  practically  w^as  effected,  as  every  man  was 
anxious  to  return  home,  not  knowing  at  what  moment  he 
might  be  summoned  to  take  up  arms. 

Up  to  this  time,  but  little  headway  had  been  made  by  the 
Baptists  in  eastern  Texas.  To  the  political  difficulties  in 
that  region  was  added  another  of  a  more  serious  nature  to 


GAINING    A    SOLID    FOOTING  41 

the  cause  of  Christ.  Anti-missionism  was  prevalent  and 
there  were  not  wanting  those  who  were  active  in  the  work 
of  dissension.  Surprising  as  it  may  seem,  Rev.  Isaac  Reed, 
who  had  been  so  courageous  and  effective  in  his  service  in 
the  region  of  Nacogdoches,  was  one  of  the  chief  fomenters 
in  the  disturbances  as  a  stout  opponent  of  missions.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  zeal  and  influence,  and  by  the  aid  of 
others  had  succeeded  in  neutralizing  the  eflficiency  of  the 
mission  work  in  that  quarter  of  the  Republic. 

While  zealous  work  had  been  done  in  that  region,  yet 
up  to  1843  but  one  Baptist  church  had  been  organized  in 
eastern  Texas,  and  that  was  the  Old  Union,  which  had 
maintained  its  solitary  existence  for  years  together.  But 
the  difficulties  only  nerved  to  new  effort,  and  during  the 
year  1843,  four  other  churches  were  constituted  in  eastern 
Texas.  These  were  Mt.  Zion,  in  Nacogdoches  county ; 
Borden  and  Bethel,  in  Harrison  county,  and  Bethel,  in  Sa- 
bine county.  Toward  the  close  of  the  year  these,  together 
with  Old  Union,  entered  into  the  organization  of  another 
association  which  they  called  Sabine.  Revs.  Reed.  Herrin 
and  Asa  Wright  were  the  leaders  in  the  organization.  But 
the  work  was  seriously  retarded  by  the  anti-mission  senti- 
ments of  Reed.  His  motive  in  this  course  is  difficult  to  be 
understood.  It  was  in  direct  opposition  to  the  record  which 
he  had  made  some  years  before  as  an  indefatigable  mis- 
sionary, when  he  Avent  so  far  as  to  defy  the  Spanish  authori- 
ties near  Nacogdoches,  and  built  a  house  of  worship  where 
he  held  services  regularly.  Why  he  should  now  throw 
himself  across  the  pathway  of  tardy  progress  in  the  expan- 
sion of  the  Lord's  cause,  and  raise  the  banner  of  revolt 
against  the  very  cause  which  he  had  espoused  with  so  much 
vigor  in  former  years,  no  one  could  understand.  It  was 
not  difficult  for  him  to  strike  a  popular  chord  under  pre- 
vailing conditions,  when  the  people  were  struggling  to  get 
a  substantial  foothold  for  actual  maintenance  in  a  new 
country.  If  it  was  popularity  which  he  sought,  it  may  be 
that  his  ambition  was  gratified.  But  strong  as  he  was  with 
the  people,  Reed  was  not  allowed  to  go  unchallenged.  Rev. 
Lemuel  Herrin,  though  not  so  able  a  man  as  Reed,  took 
up  the  cudgel  of  defense   for  missionary  enterprise,  and 


I»R.    J.    1'..    r.INK. 


GAINING    A    SOLID    FOOTING  43 

withstood  Reed  to  his  face.  But  the  spirit  of  anti-mission- 
isni  became  infectious,  and  the  existence  of  some  of  the 
churches  was  threatened.  For  the  time,  the  struggle  was 
transferred  from  the  common  enemy  to  that  which  was 
being  w'aged  among  the  churches  themselves.  Some  of 
the  most  formidable  leaders  who  had  stood  in  the  front  of 
the  file,  became  discouraged  because  of  the  glaring  defect- 
iveness of  those  of  whom  they  had  a  right  to  expect  better 
things.  Even  ]\Iorrell,  than  whom  there  never  was  a  more 
daring  and  intrepid  missionary,  saw  but  little  hope  of  subse- 
quent relief,  and  he  was  disposed  to  return  to  Alississippi. 
A  w-ave  of  anti-missionism  Avas  spreading  among  the 
churches  at  the  most  inopportune  time,  if  indeed  it  is  ever 
opportune.  With  a  feeling  approaching  dismay,  he  saw  that 
the  work  seemed  to  be  going  to  pieces,  and  the  preachers, 
or  at  least  some  of  them,  were  stimulating  the  general  de- 
fection of  the  churches.  From  Plum  Grove  church,  fifty 
miles  away,  with  a  tangled  wilderness  lying  betw'een,  and 
with  savage  danger  lurking  everywhere,  he  learned  that 
that  noble  little  band,  which  he  had  nourished  into  life,  was 
about  to  go  to  pieces,  because  fomenters  of  trouble  had 
crept  in  to  steal  the  people  from  their  first  love.  His  horse 
had  been  stolen,  and  his  oxen  were  too  slow  to  take  him 
fifty  miles  before  the  decisive  meeting  could  be  held  at  Plum 
Grove  church.  In  his  strait,  a  young  friend  proposed  to 
lend  him  his  pony  to  take  the  long  and  arduous  trip.  With 
his  rifle  across  his  saddle,  the  bold  champion  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  plunged  into  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night,  across  an  uninhabited  wilderness,  on  an 
errand  to  save  the  church  with  which  he  had  begun  his 
labors  in  Texas.  The  journey  was  a  most  perilous  one 
and  the  fatigue  fearful,  for  he  had  learned  of  the  proposed 
meeting  of  dissolution  at  the  close  of  a  heavy  dav's  work, 
and  only  eighteen  hours  before  it  should  be  held  fiftv  miles 
off,  but  this  man  with  the  courage  of  a  lion,  and  with  iron 
frame,  reached  the  neighborhood  of  the  church  before  the 
appointed  time.  After  slight  refreshment,  he  appeared  at 
the  church  and  preached  at  eleven  o'clock  on  Saturdav. 
Then  followed  the  conference,  during  which  certain  mem- 
bers proposed  to  make  the  question  of  missions  a  test  of 


41  IIISTOUV    or    TKXAS    BAPTISTS 

fcUuwship.  Through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Morrell,  the  whole 
matter  was  amicably  settled  by  granting  to  each  the  right 
of  private  judgment,  but  at  the  same  time  retaining  the 
bonds  of  fellowship.  A  course  so  reasonable  and  right  aj)- 
pealed  to  all  alike,  the  differences  disappeared,  the  church 
was  saved.  The  occasion  was  made  the  mellower  the  next 
(lay  by  the  observance  of  the  Lord's  supper,  after  which  the 
peacemaker  mounted  his  horse,  rode  back  the  distance  of 
fifty  miles,  and  was  ready  to  resume  his  manual  labors  on 
Monday.  This  grinding  drudgery,  unceasing  care,  harass- 
ments  without  number,  excessive  labor,  and  constant  danger 
made  the  call  to  Holly  Springs,  Mississippi,  a  great  tempta- 
tion ;  but  the  Lord  had  yet  much  work  for  him  in  Texas. 

The  stress  of  the  times  increased  and  the  element  of  dis- 
cord waxed  stronger.  In  1844  there  was  organized  on  the 
eastern  border  of  the  Republic  an  association  composed  of 
four  churches  in  Texas  and  one  in  Louisiana.  Those  in 
Texas  were  Salem,  Harmony,  Mt.  Olivet  and  Antioch, 
W'hile  the  one  in  Louisiana  was  Antioch.  In  order  that  their 
basis  of  principles  might  not  admit  of  a  doubt,  they  ex- 
pressed them  in  the  name  given  to  the  body :  "The  Louisi- 
ana and  Texas  Regular  Predestinarian  Baptist  Associa- 
tion." They  pronounced  against  all  secret  orders,  benevo- 
lent organizations  and  missionary  boards  of  whatever  sort. 
In  the  body  of  the  constitution  appeared  this  lugubrious 
article : 

"Having  for  years  past  viewed  willi  distress  that  the  fol- 
lowing institutions  and  societies  have  brought  upon 
churches:  that  is  to  say  (punctuation,  capitalization  and  con- 
struction exactly  quoted)  Missionary  Effort  Societies.  Bible, 
Baptist  Conventions  ;  Temperance,  Sunday-school  Unions : 
Tract  Ministerial  Education  Societies ;  and  in  a  word  all 
the  human  combinations  and  societies  of  the  day,  set  up  in 
order  to  advance  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  as  inimical  to 
the  peace  of  Zion,  and  calculated  in  their  nature  to  cause 
schism,  w^e  therefore  declare  non-fellowship  with  all  such." 

Within  a  few  years,  this  and  the  Sabine  Association 
perished  from  inanition,  leaving  nothing  but  the  relic  of  a 
name  to  tell  that  they  had  been.  The  year  1843  was  one 
of  the  darkest  in  the  history  of  Texas.    Deep  gloom  settled 


GAINING    A    SOLID    FOOTING  45 

on  every  interest,  and  stagnation  and  demoralization  were 
everywhere  prevalent.  Only  the  energy  and  the  unquench- 
able zeal  of  the  missionary,  now  inured  to  hardship,  in 
grappling  with  western  difficulties,  saved  the  cause  from 
absolute  wreck.  Brave  men,  with  hearts  of  iron  and  nerves 
of  steel,  stood  well  to  the  fore,  hoping  against  hope,  with 
an  unshaken  trust  in  God.  Mexico  continued  to  harass  the 
frontier  on  the  south,  and  calls  to  arms  to  turn  back  the  in- 
vaders, left  the  growing  crops  in  a  precarious  condition. 
On  the  eastern  border,  the  troubles  between  the  Regulators 
and  the  Moderates  were  kept  up.  On  the  floor  of  the  Amer- 
ican congress  the  year  was  made  memorable  by  the  agitation 
of  the  question  of  the  annexation  of  Texas  to  the  Union. 
The  young  Republic  was  rimmed  around  by  troubles  in- 
numerable; Mexico  had  conceived  the  idea  that  she  might 
yet  recover  Texas,  hence  the  continuation  of  the  trouble  on 
the  south.  Every  turn  in  the  tide  of  events  was  one  of  dis- 
couragement to  Texas.  Fortunately  for  the  new  nation  at 
so  terrible  a  crisis,  President  Houston,  with  iron  nerve  and 
cool  judgment,  held  the  helm  well  in  hand.  On  this  remark- 
able man  more  than  on  all  things  else  the  situation  turned. 
In  the  rank  and  file  of  the  citizenship  of  Texas,  he  found 
his  most  ardent  supporters  in  the  Baptist  ministry. 

In  October,  1843,  the  Union  Association  met  with  the 
Providence  church  in  Washington  county.  Two  new 
churches  were  admitted  by  petition — Dove  church, 
of  Milam  county,  and  Ebenezer,  of  Robertson  coun- 
'ty.  The  Bill  of  Rights  had  been  dropped  and  the 
articles  of  faith  were  adopted  at  this  session  of 
the  body.  These  articles  of  faith  gave  forth  a 
sound  of  New  Testament  principles  that  was  not  uncertain, 
and  showed  that  the  body  had  come  to  realize  that  safety 
and  permanency  lay  in  a  strict  adherence  to  the  doctrines 
of  the  Master.  Never  was  there  a  more  heroic  body  of 
godly  men  gathered  than  were  those  who  met  in  the  Union 
Association,  in  the  gloomy  year  of  1843.  They  planned  for 
the  future  as  though  the  prospect  were  the  brightest,  and 
the  encouragements  the  most  inspiring.  Plans  were  made 
for  aggressive  work ;  district  meetings  were  arranged  for ; 
a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  was  named ;    Sunday    schools 


4(5  lllSTDHV    OF    TK.XA.S    iJAI'TISTS 

were  recommended ;  the  manufacture,  use  and  sale  of  spiri- 
tuous liquors  were  condemned  by  unanimous  vote ;  the 
chuixhes  were  requested  lo  defray  the  expenses  of  the  mes- 
sengers to  the  meetings  uf  the  association,  and  correspond- 
ence was  opened  with  the  Sabine  Association.  There  was 
life  in  the  old  land  yet.  These  were  not  the  men  to  repine 
when  disaster  came.  Not  more  faith  did  Jeremiah  have 
when  told  to  purchase  the  field  that  was  in  Anathoth,  than 
had  these  men  on  tiie  plains  of  Texas.  With  a  ])ol(lncss  that 
was  inspiring,  they  resolved  to  extend  the  field  of  mission- 
ary effort.  Heretofore,  they  had  confined  themselves  to  the 
southern  end  of  the  Republic.  Here  was  the  strength  of  the 
denomination,  but  other  regions  were  being  settled,  and  into 
these  they  were  determined  to  go. 

The  close  of  the  year  brought  fresh  hope.  The  negotia- 
tions between  Texas  and  ^lexico  gave  promise  of  a  perma- 
nent adjustment,  which,  together  with  the  possibility  of  the 
early  annexation  of  Texas  to  the  Union,  stinudated  afresh 
the  spirit  of  immigration.  ^Meanwhile,  financial  conditions 
had  grown  healthier.  In  addition  still,  the  Indians  had  been 
pacified  by  Houston,  who  knew  the  character  of  the  savage 
so  well,  by  reason  of  his  long-continued  residence  among 
the  wild  tribes.  Taking  advantage  of  these  conditions,  Z. 
N.  Morrell  felt  that  the  time  for  renewed  and  vigorous 
action  for  the  Baptists  had  come.  \\'ith  somewhat  of  pro- 
phetic ken,  he  saw  that  the  gathering  communities  must 
one  day  become  towns  and  cities.  Acting  on  this  conviction, 
he  sold  his  little  estate  at  the  mouth  of  the  Trinity  river  and 
l)egan  a  vigorous  campaign  of  evangelization.  At  this  time, 
excei)ting  Houston  and  (lalveston,  there  were  only  two  Bap- 
tist churches  between  the  Trinity  and  Brazos  rivers.  North- 
ward was  a  vast  fertile  region  into  which  there  was  a  stream 
of  population  pouring.  At  that  time  Montgomery  county 
stretched  from  the  Brazos  to  the  Trinity,  and  embraced  the 
territory  now  included  in  the  counties  of  Grimes,  Walker, 
Madison  and  ^lontgomery.  Into  this  territory,  now  being 
rapitlly  peopled,  went  Z.  N.  Morrell,  from  settlement  to  set- 
tlement, preaching  as  he  went.  Large  crowds  greeted  him 
at  every  point.  He  found  many  Baptists,  representing  many 
states,  and  as  diverse  in  their  views  as  thev  were  in  cfeo- 


GAINING    A    SOLID    FOOTING  47 

graphical  representation.  He  set  his  heart  on  organizing  a 
church  at  Huntsville,  but  here  he  encountered  harsh  oppo- 
sition. The  town  was  notorious  for  its  roughness,  and  inter- 
posed serious  objection  to  being  interfered  with  by  rehgion. 
However,  he  succeeded  in  organizing  a  church  in  Hunts- 
ville in  September,  1844,  in  which  organization  he  was  aided 
by  Thomas  Horsely.  Huntsville  enjoys  the  distinction  of 
having  the  first  Baptist  church  in  "Middle  Texas,"  as  that 
region  was  then  called.  A  church  was  organized  also  at 
Danville.  ]\Iorrell  encountered  strong  opposition  in  this 
region  on  the  part  of  James  Parker,  who  was  urgent  in  pre- 
senting the  rankest  antinomian  views,  based  on  what  he 
called  "the  primitive  order."  James  was  the  brother  of 
Daniel  Parker  of  the  "two-seed"  notoriety,  who  had  been 
notorious  for  his  extreme  opposition  to  missions  in  Kentucky 
and  elsewhere.  James  was  not  the  equal  of  his  brother, 
Daniel,  save  in  his  illiteracy,  and  therefore  not  so  formid- 
able. But  what  there  was  in  James  was  summoned  and  ex- 
ercised to  the  fullest  in  his  opposition  to  Morrell.  Numer- 
ous difficulties  were  encountered  by  this  brave  man  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  work  in  the  region  of  Huntsville.  One 
of  these  was  the  progress  of  the  trial  of  a  Baptist  preacher, 
named  McClenny,  who  was  alleged  to  have  been  accessory  to 
a  murder.  Seemingly  a  gentleman  of  affable  manner,  and 
familiar  with  Scripture  truth,  his  connection  with  such  a 
case  did  Morrell  no  good  in  his  present  campaign  at  Hunts- 
ville. Added  to  this  was  the  fact  that  Rev.  R.  G.  Green, 
who  had  aided  in  the  formation  of  the  Old  Union  church, 
had  been  involved  in  a  serious  domestic  trouble  and  was  now 
a  wreck.  He  had  been  dividing  his  time  between  preaching 
and  carousing,  and  had  brought  into  contempt  the  religion  of 
Christ.  Then,  too,  those  who  had  announced  themselves  as 
Baptists  were  given  over  to  frivolity  and  dissipation,  and 
this  did  not  conduce  to  the  encouragement  of  the  stranger 
missionary.  Still  Morrell  had  seen  many  sides  of  life,  and 
was  not  easily  discouraged. 

In  November,  1844,  the  church  at  Anderson  was  consti- 
tuted, and  this  was  followed  by  the  constitution  of  Post  Oak 
church.  A  line  of  cleavage  had  been  made  in  middle  Texas, 
and  the  cause  had  thus  obtained  a  solid  footing. 


48  HISTOKV    OF    TKXAS    BAPTISTS 

Up  to  this  time  but  little  reference  has  been  made  to  the 
progress  of  the  work  in  northern  Texas.  Nor  has  there 
been  much  occasion  to  do  so.  Before  the  establishment  of 
Austin's  Colony  around  San  Filipe,  there  had  been  an 
y\mcrican  colony  in  the  region  of  Red  River,  in  the  section 
which  afterward  became  Red  River  county.  It  was  to  this 
settlement  that  Freeman  Smalley  had  come  and  preached 
first  as  a  Baptist  in  Texas.  The  settlement  was  founded  as 
early  as  1816.  It  seems  that  a  Baptist  church  was  not  or- 
ganized in  this  region  till  1843,  when  the  Concord  church 
was  constituted  with  a  membership  of  seven.  Rev.  Willis 
jM.  Pickett  was  the  first  pastor,  he  having  been  ordained  to 
the  gospel  ministry  the  same  year,  by  Revs.  N.  T.  Byars 
and  Benjamin  Clark. 

The  fifth  annual  session  of  the  Union  Association  was 
held  in  1844,  i-inder  favorable  conditions,  at  Plum  Grove 
church.  The  messengers  were  especially  encouraged  by  the 
contributions  made  to  all  interests  for  the  year,  as  they  ag- 
gregated $37.91 !  The  gloom  which  had  hung  as  a  pall  over 
the  country  so  long  found  an  encouraging  rift  in  the  dis- 
position to  resume  work  with  a  will.  Among  the  worthiest, 
and  yet  one  of  the  most  unpretentious  men  of  the  period  was 
Rev.  George  Webb  Slaughter,  the  father  of  Colonel  C.  C. 
Slaughter.  He  was  an  unique  character  who  came  to  Texas 
from  Louisiana  in  1830.  The  following  year  he  became  a 
member  of  the  INIethodist  church,  but  in  1844  was  converted 
to  the  Baptist  faith  by  individual  study  of  the  Bible,  to  which 
he  was  led  by  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Peter  Eldredge,  who 
was  the  first  Baptist  preacher  Mr.  Slaughter  had  ever  heard. 

George  W'ebb  Slaughter  was  a  type  of  the  hardy  yeo- 
manry of  the  times,  and  his  stocky  frame  had  become  so  in- 
ured to  hard  service  that  he  was  toughened  and  fitted  for 
almost  any  service  that  called  for  the  exercise  of  muscu- 
larity. He  was  extremely  poor,  and  before  coming  to  Texas 
had  split  rails  for  bread  in  Louisiana. 

When  the  war  broke  out  between  Texas  and  Mexico,  Mr. 

'  Slaughter  responded  with  zestful  alacrity.    He  proved  to  be 

an  invaluable  scout  to  General  Houston,  and  was  one  of  his 

most  trusted  lieutenants.    Houston  sent  him  to  Fannin  and 

Travis  with  secret  messages  of  the  greatest  importance,  and 


GAINING    A    SOLID    FOOTING  49 

though  the  undertaking  was  attended  with  the  gravest  haz- 
ard, it  was  bravely  executed.  A  second  time  was  Slaughter 
sent  to  bear  a  message  to  the  ill-fated  commander  of  the 
Alamo,  but  when  he  came  within  sound  of  the  booming  can- 
non, he  knew  that  the  garrison  was  doomed.  His  plans  up- 
set by  this  unexpected  occurrence,  he  hid  himself  in  a 
clump  of  woods  on  the  edge  of  the  prairie  to  await  develop- 
ments. On  the  day  following  the  bombardment,  he  saw  ap- 
proaching, from  across  the  plain,  a  man  and  w'oman,  who 
proved  to  be  Mrs.  Dickenson,  the  heroine  of  the  Alamo, 
and  the  negro  servant  of  Colonel  Travis,  both  of  whom  had 
been  spared  by  Santa  Anna,  to  bear  dispatches  to  Houston, 
telling  him  of  the  slaughter  of  the  garrison  of  the  Alamo. 
The  two  were  directed  to  General  Houston  by  Mr.  Slaugh- 
ter, who  received  fresh  commendations  for  his  bravery  from 
the  commander. 

After  the  cessation  of  hostilities.  Slaughter  obtained 
leave  of  absence,  returned  home  and  married.  His  was  the 
first  license  granted  in  the  new  Republic,  and  his  marriage 
the  first  after  the  achievement  of  Texan  independence. 

His  conversion  to  the  Baptist  faith  followed,  and  he  felt 
impelled  to  preach.  Going  westward  and  engaging  in  the 
cattle  business,  he  preached  without  compensation  in  the  then 
western  counties  of  Freestone,  Anderson,  Leon.  Palo  Pinto, 
and  others.  He  was  a  free  lance,  and  preached  in  his  own 
unique  way.  He  was  one  of  the  western  Boanerges,  and 
thundered  the  anathemas  of  the  gospel  into  the  -ears  of  the 
wrong-doers  of  the  wdld  frontier.  Facile  of  speech,  the  tor- 
rent of  his  words  could  not  keep  pace  with  the  rapidity  of 
thought,  and  he  would  often  leave  his  sentences  incom- 
plete, and  remark  to  his  hearers  that  they  knew  his  mean- 
ing. 

No  man  was  better  fitted  than  he  for  the  peculiar  work 
which  he  undertook.  As  fearless  as  a  Turk,  he  faced  all 
the  dangers  of  the  frontier  in  going  to  his  appointments, 
and  did  not  hesitate  to  call  vices  by  their  right  names  when 
he  stood  before  the  uncouth  audiences  of  the  wild  plains. 
In  his  voluntary  evangelism,  his  peculiar  outfit  consisted  of 
a  Texas  pony,  a  lariat,  coffee-pot,  rifle,  a  brace  of  six- 
shooters,  and  a  Bible.    Between  the  years  1859  and  '71,  he 


50  JllS'l'oin'    OF    'J'KA'AS    JIAPTISTS 

organized  twenty-one  churches,  and  Ijaptizcd  nine  hunch'ed 
and  seven  persons.  During  his  ministry  he  baptized  2,509 
persons.  His  was  a  consistent  life,  and  vicious  men,  who 
were  conspicuous  in  a  subsequent  generation,  traced  their 
conversions  to  the  preaching"  of  ( ieorgc  A\'cbb  Slaughter. 


CHAPTER  V. 

BAYLOR   UNIVERSITY. 

In  the  preceding  record  there  has  been  somewhat  an  an- 
ticipation of  that  which  is  now  to  claim  our  attention.  The 
year  1845  was  to  Texas  a  most  eventful  one.  For  the  space 
of  fifteen  years  Texas  had  been  the  theater  of  as  much  gen- 
uine heroism,  stirring  romance  and  daring  achievement,  as 
had  ever  before  occurred  elsewhere  on  the  American  conti- 
nent. The  romantic  history  of  the  state  is  yet  to  be  written. 
The  men  and  women  who  came  to  Texas  during  this  ro- 
mantic period  were  those  who  were  capable  of  courageous 
achievement.  The  genuine  hardihood  and  the  indomitable 
zeal  of  that  time  remind  us  of  the  traditional  stories  of  an- 
cient Greece  and  of  the  old  Vikings.  There  never  was  a 
severer  test  applied  to  Anglo-Saxon  manhood  and  woman- 
hood than  was  in  Texas  during  the  first  two  decades  subse- 
quent to  its  occupation  by  the  whites. 

Among  the  distinguished  personages  of  that  period,  and 
during  a  later  period,  indeed,  was  that  of  a  man  who  has 
been  several  times  alluded  to  in  these  pages  and  whose 
distinct  individuality,  genuine  worth  and  eminent  service 
call  for  a  more  extended  notice  before  the  narrative  shall 
proceed  further,  Hon.  and  Rev.  R.  E.  B.  Baylor  who  came 
to  the  state  in  1839.  He  was  the  son  of  Colonel  Robert 
Baylor,  who  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution  and  a  member 
of  the  military  family  of  General  Washington.  Prior  to 
coming  to  Texas,  Mr.  Baylor  had  practised  law  in  Cahaba 
and  Tuscaloosa,  Alabama,  and  had  served  his  district  dur- 
ing two  terms  in  congress.  Locating  at  Lagrange,  Texas, 
he  taught  for  a  period,  during  which  time  he  was  licensed 
to  preach.  Brought  into  contact  with  Rev.  Z.  N.  Morrell, 
Judge  Baylor  was  induced  to  preach  as  opportunity  oflfered, 
and  for  the  most  part,  he  made  such  opportunities  during 

51 


DR.  S.  r.  BROOKS,  TRKSIDENT  BAYLOR  UNIVERSITY,  WACO,  TEX. 


(Born  1S03,  MilledKCvillc.  Ga.  ;  moved  to  Texas.  1868  :  educated  in 
public  schools,  Johnson  Co.;  A.  B.  Baylor  Univ.,  1803;  A.  B.  Yale  Univ. 
1894;  A.  M.  Yale  Univ.,  1902;  honorary  LL.  D.  Richmond  College,  Va., 
190,'; ;  teacher  in  Baylor,  1895-01  ;  President  Bavlor  Univ.  since  1902  • 
Correspondinir  Secretary  of  Education  Commission,  190.5-1907.) 


BAYLOE    UNIVERSITY  63 

tlie  stirring  years  which  followed  his  licensure.  His  career 
in  Texas  was  a  varied  one.  He  preached,  occupied  the 
bench  in  different  courts,  served  in  the  convention  in  which 
Texas  was  admitted  into  the  Union,  was  a  member  of  the 
Texas  congress,  and  fought  Indians  and  Mexicans.  For 
fifteen  years  he  presided  over  circuit  courts,  and  .served  at 
one  time  on  the  supreme  bench.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that 
in  the  city  in  which  is  located  the  institution  which  bears 
his  honored  name,  he  held  the  first  court  ever  held  in  that 
city,  and  preached  the  first  sermon  ever  preached  in  Waco. 
At  times,  while  holding  court  in  different  parts  of  Texas, 
he  would  preside  as  judge  during  the  day,  and  preach  at 
night  in  the  same  court  room.  Many  times  he  would  con- 
duct simultaneously  a  session  of  court  and  a  revival  of 
religion.  He  was  most  exemplary  both  as  a  layman  jurist 
and  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  However  pressing  his  en- 
gagements, he  would  never  subordinate  religious  duty  to 
the  demands  of  secular  obligation.  On  one  occasion  he 
preached  at  the  Union  Association  at  eleven  o'clock  on  Sun- 
day, and  rode  fifty  miles  on  horseback  to  a  point  where  he 
opened  court  the  next  morning. 

An  estimate  of  the  conditions  prevailing  in  Texas  at  this 
time  may  be  had  from  an  extract  from  President  Houston's 
message  as  he  retired  from  office  in  the  closing  days  of 
1844:  "I  leave  the  country  tranquil  at  home  and  at  peace 
with  all  nations,  excepting  Mexico,  which  still  maintains 
the  attitude  of  nominal  hostility.  I  see  and  know  that  the 
prospects  of  the  Republic  are  brightening,  its  resources  are 
developing,  its  commerce  extending,  and  its  moral  influence 
increasing." 

There  was  manifestly  an  auspicious  turn  in  the  tide  of  af- 
fairs. The  fact  that  the  congress  of  the  United  States 
opened  the  door  of  welcome  to  the  Republic  of  Texas  to  be- 
come one  of  the  states,  which  action  was  taken  at  Washing- 
ton, February  28,  1845,  bred  great  confidence  in  the  people. 
Preparations  were  made  for  conventional  action  on  the  part 
of  Texas,  which  resulted  in  the  acceptance  of  the  national 
invitation.  In  the  florid  language  of  Bancroft :  "The  Lx)ne 
Star  of  Texas  sank  below  the  horizon,  to  rise  again  amidst 
a  constellation  of  unapproachable  splendor." 


5 J.  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

The  struggling"  hopes  of  the  Baptists  who  had  wrestled 
with  every  form  of  diffieulty  in  rooting  the  denomination 
in  Texas,  were  now  revived.  If  they  had  achieved  so  much 
against  odds  so  fearful,  what  might  they  not  now  accom- 
plish with  so  much  in  their  favor?  The  one  cherished  object 
toward  which  the  Baptist  brotherhood  had  bent  their  ener- 
gies and  directed  their  prayers  for  years,  was  a  great  denom- 
inational school  at  which  their  ministry  could  be  educated, 
and  the  interests  of  the  commonwealth  promoted.  The 
institution  was  founded  chiefly  in  the  desire  to  improve  the 
ministry  of  the  state. 

So  early  as  1841,  action  favorable  to  such  an  enterprise 
had  been  undertaken  by  the  introduction  of  a  resolution 
before  the  Union  Association  looking  to  such  a  venture  by 
Rev.  W.  M.  Tryon.  The  following  year  nothing  was  done 
because  of  the  distractions  incident  to  the  Mexican  in- 
vasions, but  during  the  second  year  after  the  introduction 
of  the  resolution,  the  proposed  Education  Society  was  for- 
mally organized,  but  the  venture  did  not  assume  definite 
form  till  February  i,  1845,  when  the  Education  Society  was 
chartered  by  the  congress  of  Texas,  which  charter  provided 
for  the  appointment  of  fifteen  trustees.  The  prime  mover 
in  this  enterprise  was  Rev.  W.  IM.  Tryon,  who  was  ably 
supplemented  in  his  efforts  by  Judge  Baylor,  who  wrote 
the  charter  and  procured  its  grant  by  the  congress  of  the 
Republic.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  when  the  charter 
was  presented  the  name  of  the  institution  was  left  blank. 
Baylor  suggested  that  the  name  of  "Tryon"  should  supply 
the  blank  space,  but  Tryon  objected,  and  with  commend- 
able modesty  said :  "1  have  had  so  much  to  do  in  bring- 
ing the  enterprise  to  a  consummation  that  my  motive  might 
be  misunderstood  should  I  suffer  my  name  to  appear  in 
such  connection.  Besides,  it  might  injure  the  school  at  the 
very  outset."  With  this,  Tryon  took  a  pen  and  inserted 
the  name  of  Baylor  in  the  blank,  and  so  it  became  Baylor 
University. 

The  original  trustees  were:  R.  E.  B.  Baylor,  J.  G. 
Thomas,  A.  G.  Haynes,  A.  C.  Horton,  J-  E-  Lester,  R.  B. 
larman,  James  Iluckins,  Nelson  Kavanaugh,  O.  Drake.  Eli 
Mercer,   Aaron    Shannon,   James    L.    Farquar,    Robert    S. 


BAYLOE    UNIVERSITY 


Aniistead,  W.  M.  Tnon  and  E.  W.  Taylor.  The  trustees 
were  invited  to  meet  at  Independence  on  April  7,  1845,  in 
order  to  take  steps  toward  establishing  the  school.  No 
quorum  being-  present,  they  were  requested  to  meet  on  the 
15th  of  Alay  following,  at  Brenham.     At  the  second  meet- 


DR.   RUFUS   C.    IJUIILESOX,   D.   D.,   LI,.   D. 

ing  a  quorum  was  present  and  Judge  Baylor  was  made 
president  pro  tem  of  the  Board,  and  E.  W.  Taylor,  secre- 
tary pro  tem.  After  the  adoption  of  certain  rules  for  the 
government  of  the  Board,  and  after  some  discussion  con- 
cerning the  opening  of  the  bids  for  the  location  of  the 
school,  it  was  resolved  to  adjourn  and  meet  on  the   13th 


5G  IIISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

of  the  October  following  at  Mt.  Gilead  church.  During 
the  interim  there  was  considerable  activity  shown  on  the 
part  of  the  friends  of  the  several  competing  points  which 
desired  the  location  of  the  school. 

When  the  Board  met  at  Mt.  Gilead  church  several  places 
appeared  as  candidates  for  the  location  of  the  proposed  uni- 
versity. Eli  Mercer  presented  the  bonus  from  the  town  of 
Travis,  in  Austin  county ;  Rev.  Stovall,  that  of  Huntsville ; 
Aaron  Shannon,  the  one  from  Prairie,  and  E.  W.  Taylor, 
that  from  Independence.  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
examine  the  bids  and  report  that  of  each,  when  it  was  found 
that  the  valuation  of  the  ofifer  from  Travis  w^as  $3,586.23, 
the  one  from  Huntsville,  $5,417.75,  the  one  from  Grimes 
Prairie  $4,725,  and  the  one  from  Independence  $7,925.  The 
balloting  resulted  in  ten  votes  for  Independence,  and  one 
for  Huntsville.  Mr.  E.  W.  Taylor,  a  business  man  from 
Independence,  though  not  a  member  of  a  church,  seeing 
that  the  offer  from  Independence  fell  below  that  of  some 
of  the  other  points  contesting,  withdrew  the  proposal  from 
that  point,  and  increased  it  by  a  substantial  individual  gift. 

Here  was  a  spectacle  which  might  serve  to  excite  the 
ridicule  of  some  and  the  pathos  of  others.  A  body  of  pio- 
neersmen  meeting  in  a  log  church  on  the  plains  of  a  raw 
country,  proposing  to  establish  a  university  on  a  basis  of 
somewhat  more  than  seven  thousand  dollars,  not  in  actual 
cash,  but  in  subscriptions !  But  few  of  the  number  knew 
what  was  meant  by  a  college,  and  none  had  ever  known 
what  was  involved  in  the  effort  of  establishing  and  main- 
taining a  great  school  of  learning.  But  faith  supplied  the 
deficiency  of  knowledge,  and  a  grim  determination  nerved 
these  men  to  meet  the  unknown  emergencies  of  so  supreme 
an  undertaking.  They  recognized  the  extreme  necessity  of 
a  school  of  learning  in  order  to  maintain  the  ministry  of  a 
state  which  was  destined  to  be  most  conspicuous  among 
the  states  of  the  Union,  and  they  faltered  not  to  undertake 
the  enterprise,  believing  that  with  the  advance  of  time  and 
the  increase  of  information  needed,  they  would  be  able  to 
rise  correspondingly  to  confront  the  coming  demands.  The 
spectacle  of  a  scene  like  this  is  a  positive  inspiration.  Money 
was  exceedingly  scarce  at  this  time,  and  but  little  of  the 


BAYLOR    UNIVEESITY  57 

subscriptions  represented  cash.  Think  of  a  village  making 
the  following  offer  for  a  great  institution  of  learning:  One 
section  of  land,  one  yoke  of  oxen,  five  head  of  cattle,  one 
cow  and  calf,  one  bay  mare,  one  bale  of  cotton,  twenty  days' 
hauling,  and  cash  to  the  amount  of  $200 !  If  on  the  surface 
it  appeared  ridiculous,  it  was  buttressed  on  a  faith  similar 
to  that  wiiich  prompted  a  mere  handful  of  fishermen  to  start 
on  the  subjugation  of  the  world  to  Christ.  There  were 
stalwart  heroes  in  those  days. 

Preliminaries  were  arranged  for  the  collection  of  addi- 
tional means,  a  building  was  projected,  the  Board  was  per- 
manently organized,  and  thus  in  this  rude  log  hut,  Baylor 
University  w^as  born.  W.  M.  Tryon  was  made  the  first 
president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  E.  W.  Taylor,  secretary, 
and  A.  G.  Haynes,  treasurer.  At  a  subsequent  meeting 
held  at  Independence  early  in  the  following  December,  a 
building  committee  was  appointed,  and  Allen  Hill  was 
selected  as  the  site  of  the  main  building.  At  this  same 
meeting  Rev.  Henry  L.  Graves,  of  Georgia,  was  elected 
president  of  Baylor  University,  and  Henry  L.  Gillette,  prin- 
cipal of  the  preparatory  department.  Mr.  Graves  was  a 
native  of  North  Carolina,  a  graduate  from  the  university 
of  that  state,  was  afterward  professor  of  mathematics  in 
Wake  Forest  College,  and  at  the  time  of  his  election  to  the 
presidency  of  Baylor  University,  was  teaching  in  Georgia. 
Mr.  Gillette  came  to  Texas  from  Connecticut  when  a  mere 
lad  of  sixteen.  He  was  a  graduate  from  Trinity  College, 
Hartford,  and  was  designed  for  the  Episcopal  ministry. 
He  abandoned  that  idea  early  in  manhood,  came  to  Texas 
and  taught  a  school  which  attained  to  local  fame  at  Wash- 
ington, on  the  Brazos.  After  his  retirement  from  Baylor 
University  he  settled  on  an  estate  on  Galveston  Bay,  and 
in  1866  became  the  founder  of  Bayland  Orphans'  Home. 
Baylor  University  was  opened  on  May  18,  1846,  with  Mr. 
Gillette  as  the  only  teacher.  The  attendance  at  first  em- 
braced only  twenty- four  pupils. 

President  Graves  arrived  on  the  4th  of  the  following- 
February,  1847,  and  took  formal  charge.  The  movement 
to  make  Baylor  a  great  school  now  began  in  earnest. 
Agents  were  appointed  to  solicit  funds  and  books  not  only 


Kin'.    Wir.LIAM    CAUKY   CRANE,    D.    D.,    LL.    1). 


BAYLOE    UNIVEESITY  59 

in  Texas,  but  throughout  the  states  eastward.  Along  with 
Doctor  Graves  came  several  men  who  became  conspicuous 
in  the  Baptist  annals  of  the  state — J.  W.  D.  Creath,  P.  B. 
Chandler  and  Noah  Hill. 

Creath  was  a  Virginian  and  came  of  a  family  of  preach- 
ers. His  collegiate  course  was  taken  at  the  Virginia  Bap- 
tist Seminary,  now  Richmond  College.  For  nine  years 
before  ofifering'  himself  to  the  Southern  Convention  as  a 
missionary  to  Texas,  he  served  churches  in  his  native  state, 
and  for  a  period  was  a  successful  missionary  of  the  Gen- 
eral Association  of  that  state.  From  the  beginning  he 
made  a  most  favorable  impression  on  the  Baptists  of  Texas, 
which  impression  was  deepened  by  a  long  period  of  useful 
and  eventful  service. 

Rev.  P.  B.  Chandler  was  a  native  of  Georgia.  His  edu- 
cation, though  limited,  was  consecrated  to  the  service  of 
the  gospel  ministry.  Marrying  early  in  life,  his  opportu- 
nities for  scholastic  training  were  abridged,  but  appreciat- 
ing the  importance  of  better  equipment  for  the  great  work, 
he  sold  his  home  when  he  was  twenty-six  years  old,  and 
taking  his  wife  and  three  children  to  Penfield,  Georgia, 
entered  on  his  studies  at  Mercer  University.  For  two  years 
he  prosecuted  his  course  largely  at  his  own  expense,  and 
afterward  taught  school  at  Social  Circle,  Georgia,  where 
he  was  ordained  to  preach  the  gospel.  He  was  soon  after- 
ward appointed  by  the  Domestic  Mission  Board  to  labor  in 
Texas.  Making  his  way  from  Social  Circle,  Georgia,  to 
Montgomery,  Alabama,  by  private  conveyance,  he  took  a 
boat  to  Mobile,  thence  to  New  Orleans  and  Galveston.  He 
was  accompanied  by  President  Graves  and  by  his  pastor  at 
Social  Circle,  Rev.  Noah  Hill,  also  an  appointee  of  the 
Board.  In  NeW  Orleans  the  party  fell  in  with  Rev.  J. 
W.  D.  Creath,  who  was  en  route  to  Texas.  In  some  re- 
spects Mr.  Hill  Avas  the  most  remarkable  man  in  the  party. 
Though  born  in  Virginia,  his  childhood  was  spent  partly 
in  North  Carolina  and  partly  in  Georgia.  He  grew  up  in 
ignorance,  and  was  not  converted  till  after  his  marriage. 
At  that  time  he  could  barely  read,  but  feeling  impelled  to 
preach,  he  deliberately  renjoved  with  his  family  to  Pen- 
field,  Georgia,  and  entered  on  his  course  at  Mercer  Uni- 


BAYLOE    UNIVERSITY  Gl 

versity.  He  was  both  large  and  tall,  weighing  more  than 
two  hundred  and  rising  to  the  height  of  six  feet,  two  inches. 
Burly  in  appearance  and  of  rugged  brow,  this  giant  from 
the  mountain  regions  was  placed  in  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment. Imagine  his  stalwart  frame  towering  in  the  midst 
of  small  boys  to  a  class  of  which  he  belonged!  In  those 
days  Webster's  "blue  back"  was  the  popular  book  in 
orthography,  and  the  words  were  "given  out"  to  a  file  of 
students  who  stood  facing  the  teacher.  Should  a  word 
miss  of  spelling  by  one  student,  it  was  passed  to  the  next 
below,  and  if  he  was  successful  in  spelling  it,  he  took  his 
place  above  the  one  who  had  failed.  The  scene  must  have 
been  a  comical  one  of  this  typical  mountain  preacher  being 
"turned  down"  in  the  spelling  exercise,  by  a  small  boy.  To 
a  man  of  less  force  of  character,  this  would  have  been  an 
unbearable  humiliation;  but  Hill  was  not  the  least  discour- 
aged, and  would  share  in  the  merry  glee  produced  at  his 
own  expense.  For  a  period  of  three  or  four  years  he  pur- 
sued his  course  at  Mercer,  when  he  was  ordained  and  called 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  church  at  Social  Circle.  Possessed 
of  a  strong  frame,  a  stentorian  voice,  strongly  marked  and 
rugged  features  and  native  intellectual  endowments  of  a 
high  order,  he  became  a  great  popular  preacher  in  the  land 
of  his  adoption. 

During  the  year  1846  the  Baptist  missionaries  in  Texas 
were  most  active.  The  idea  of  having  founded  a  college 
gave  immense  impulse  to  the  work.  Every  one  regarded 
the  movement  as  meaning  much  to  the  future  cause  of 
the  state.  Immense  territory  was  sought  to  be  occupied 
by  the  few  men  laboring,  but  their  efforts  were  unremit- 
ting to  occupy  it  as  fully  as  possible.  Z.  N.  Morrell 
was  not  only  a  preacher  of  power,  but  was  constitution- 
ally a  leader.  In  the  large  field  assigned  him,  he  organized, 
during  the  year,  1846,  a  church  at  Leon,  another  at  Spring- 
field, and  pushed  his  work  northward  into  Navarro  county, 
where  he  touched  the  territory  of  Byars,  who  was  then  liv- 
ing on  Richland  Creek,  in  that  county.  Fortunately  Judge 
Baylor  was  serving  a  district  at  that  time  in  that  part  of  the 
state  in  which  Morrell  was  laboring  as  missionary.  With 
his  usual  wisdom  Morrell  would  so  arrange  his  appoint- 


<  < 


;2^ 

c  c 

►J  < 

C  C5 


BAYLOE    UNIVERSITY  63 

ments  as  to  have  them  coincide  with  the  terms  of  court  in 
a  given  town,  in  order  to  be  able  to  command  the  services 
of  Judge  Baylor.  As  was  his  wont,  Baylor  would  preside 
in  the  court  room  during  the  day,  and  in  the  same  place 
preach  at  night.  By  this  combination  of  service  this  won- 
derful man  swayed  a  marvelous  influence  on  the  uncouth 
population  with  which  he  had  most  to  do. 

The  seventh  session  of  the  Union  Association  was  held 
in  1846  with  Dove  church  at  Caldwell,  Burleson  county. 
The  session  was  distinguished  by  no  remarkable  action, 
though  there  was  the  spirit  of  progress  in  the  reports  read 
and  in  the  discussions.  Increased  buoyancy  was  given  to 
the  meeting  by  the  prospect  of  a  great  school  of  learning  at 
Independence.  This  was  the  subject  of  general  comment 
among  the  members  as  the}-  foresaw  what  a  power  it  would 
prove  to  the  ministry  of  the  state.  Two  new  churches, 
Rocky  Creek  and  Bethel,  had  been  organized  during  the 
year,  and  were  admitted  into  the  body  at  the  session  at 
Dove  church.  In  order  to  promote  evangelistic  work  and 
arouse  the  churches  to  more  intelligent  zeal,  the  association 
was  divided  into  four  districts  and  arrangements  were 
made  to  hold  district  meetings  during  the  succeeding  year. 
Steps  were  also  taken  to  establish,  at  Houston,  under  the 
care  of  Rev.  W.  M.  Tryon,  a  Bible  depository,  which 
project  failed  because  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Tryon  during 
the  next  year. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

EDUCATION    AND   EN'AXf lErJZATION. 

The  twofold  work  of  the  llaptists  of  Texas  has  heen, 
from  the  outset,  education  and  evangehzation.  They  are 
co-operative  and  conjunctive.  While  Christianity  saves  the 
souls  of  men,  through  the  agency  of  preaching,  it  focuses 
itself,  as  an  organization,  about  teaching.  It  is  an  interest- 
ing fact  in  the  history  of  education,  that  every  great  insti- 
tution of  learning  has  been  the  outgrowth  of  religion.  The 
school  is  the  anchor  of  the  church. 

This  is  neither  the  time  nor  place  to  discuss  a  question 
already  well-worn,  but  it  is  timely  to  call  attention  to  the 
fact  that  the  early  Baptists  of  Texas  began,  in  the  first 
stages  of  denominational  development,  to  plan  for  a  school 
of  higher  learning.  Nor  did  they  await  a  period  of  pros- 
perity for  such  a  beginning,  but  just  so  soon  as  a  ray  of 
possibility  pierced  the  gloom  which  hung  over  them  for 
years  together,  they  conceived  a  great  school,  around  which 
the  denomination  would  circle  its  interest  and  affection. 

To  some  it  might  have  seemed  the  climax  of  absurdity, 
with  not  a  little  of  the  ridiculous,  for  a  body  of  men,  most 
of  w^hom  were  themselves  imlearned  and  clad  in  the  garb 
of  pioneersmen,  gathered  in  a  log  house  in  the  backwoods, 
with  a  raw  and  ragged  wilderness  around,  to  take  steps 
to  found  a  great  institution  of  learning.  Still,  it  was  under 
just  such  conditions  as  these  that  the  intrepid  and  gifted 
Tryon  forecast  such  a  school  in  1841  in  Concord  church. 
With  marvelous  sagacity  these  countrymen,  relying  solely 
on  the  promises  of  God,  and  with  a  faith  that  pierced  the 
future,  however  unpromising  their  present  environments, 
took  the  first  step  in  the  direction  of  a  great  school  of  learn- 
ing in  Texas.  Tryon  lived  to  see  only  the  prophetic  blos- 
som of  the  blessed  fruit  which  has  not  only  become  the  cher- 

64 


EDUCATION    AND    EVANGELIZATION  65 

ished  object  of  a  mighty  denomination,  but  a  benediction 
to  a  great  commonwealth  and  the  regions  beyond.  If  faith 
ever  had  its  reward,  it  certainly  has  been  during  the  event- 
ful years  of  the  history  of  the  educational  institutions  of 
the  Baptists  of  Texas.  If  these  men  wrought  so  mightily 
by  faith,  when  the  resources  were  wanting,  what  obligation 
does  faith  not  now  impose,  when  means  are  unlimited  and 
conditions  are  so  favorable?  The  faith  of  the  fathers,  from 
which  has  sprung  our  schools  of  learning  and  the  unspeak- 
able good  which  they  have  yielded,  burden  the  Baptists  of 
Texas  for  all  time  with  an  obligation  coterminous  with 
increasing  demands  which  come  with  each  recurring  year. 

The  wise  and  heroic  management  of  Baptist  affairs  had 
brought  the  denomination  to  a  stage  from  which  the  pros- 
pect was  encouraging.  The  initial  difficulties  of  rallying 
and  cohering  a  people  of  a  given  faith  in  settlements  widely 
apart,  and  extended  over  a  vast  area  of  territory,  were  now 
well  behind.  As  courageous  and  devoted  men  as  ever  a 
missionary  field  had,  braved  the  terrors  of  a  western  wil- 
derness and  manipulated  the  scattered  remnants  of  Bap- 
tists, and  bound  them  into  cohesiveness,  while  they  had 
gradually  brought  the  chaotic  elements  of  a  frontier  society 
into  subjection  to  the  principles  of  the  gospel.  It  was  the 
gospel  more  than  the  sword,  more  than  statesmanship,  more 
than  any  other  agency,  that  had  made  possible  the  condi- 
tions of  a  start,  on  the  part  of  a  mighty  empire  common- 
wealth, toward  a  career  of  marvelous  development.  With 
unflinching  courage,  and  with  no  uncertain  sound,  these 
early  missionaries  preached  the  gospel  in  its  genuineness, 
and  eliminated  uncertain  elements  which  would  prove  a 
brake  to  the  wheels  of  progress  in  the  years  to  come.  These 
pioneer  apostles  of  the  plain  were  men  strong  in  faith,  in 
personal  force  of  character,  and  pronounced  proclaimers  of 
the  truth  as  found  in  the  Word  of  God. 

In  a  region  where  there  was  so  much  evil,  the  tempta- 
tion to  trim  and  prune,  in  order  to  a  show  of  growth  and 
success,  was  doubtless  experienced ;  but  they  stoutly  re- 
sisted wrong,  and  with  apostolic  ruggedness,  denounced  sin, 
and  at  the  same  time  led  lives  illustrative  of  the  principles 
proclaimed.     The  roots  of  the  uncompromising  position  of 


66  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Baptists  in  Texas  today,  and  of  their  pre-eminent  greatness, 
run  back  through  tiie  years  to  the  days  of  struggle  when 
these  worthy  fathers  built  well  and  deep,  the  foundation  of 
our  cause. 

A  review  of  the  conditions  in  the  dawning  days  of  1847 
show's  that  the  positions  gained  by  Baptists  in  Texas  were 
ably  manned,  while  the  outposts  afforded  cheer  of  the  pros- 
pect of  unlimited  progress.  At  Galveston,  Huckins  was 
steadily  building  up  a  strong  cause,  Tryon  was  doing  the 
same  at  Houston,  Hill  had  entered  on  his  work  with  en- 
couragement at  Matagorda,  while  Chandler  was  rallying 
and  skilfully  directing  the  forces  at  LaGrange.  At  Hunts- 
ville,  Creath  was  swaying  a  mighty  influence  for  good,  and 
was  proving  equal  to  an  arduous  undertaking.  Hosea  Gar- 
rett was  active  in  Washington  county,  the  charming  natural 
region  of  which  was  alluring  immigrants  from  the  distant 
regions  of  other  states ;  while  toward  the  north,  Morrell  and 
Byars,  true  yoke-fellows,  were  uniting  their  forces,  and 
gradually  paving  the  way  for  a  great  association.  The 
gifted  Henry  L.  Graves  and  his  cultured  wife  had  taken 
firm  hold  on  the  educational  interests  at  Independence,  and 
w^ere  gradually  overcoming  the  difficulties  which  lay  in  the 
way  of  organizing  a  great  institution  of  learning,  while 
Judge  Baylor,  in  his  judicial  rounds,  was  as  really  a  gospel 
preacher  as  he  was  a  faithful  officer  of  the  law. 

In  the  regions  east  of  the  Trinity  river,  the  churches 
were  increasing  in  number,  as  faithful  men,  w'ithout  abate- 
ment of  zeal,  pressed  the  truth  on  the  gathering  thousands. 
Up  to  this  time  the  work  had  been  mainly  one  of  organiza- 
tion, and  the  churches  had  been  largely  dependent,  for  in- 
creased accessions,  from  immigration ;  but  now  scores  and 
hundreds  were  being  converted,  and  the  churches  were 
growing  steadily  stronger  by  means  of  men  and  women 
won  from  the  ranks  of  sin. 

The  eighth  annual  session  of  the  Union  Association  met 
in  1847  ^t  Houston.  It  was  an  eventful  occasion.  The 
giants  of  the  denomination,  the  intrepid  veterans  of  the 
plains  and  villages,  were  together  in  force.  Tryon,  Garrett. 
Graves,  Baxter,  Rogers,  Morrell,  Ellis,  Fisher,  Taliaferro, 
Horselv,   Creath,   Huckins,  Chandler,  Buffington,   Hill  and 


EDUCATION    AND    EVANGELIZATION  (57 

Woodruff  were  in  attendance.  J.  H.  Stribling,  then  a  licen- 
tiate, but  who  afterward  rose  to  great  eminence,  was  pres- 
ent as  a  young  man  of  promise.  'They  were  all  with  one 
accord  in  one  place."  They  were  men  of  metal  nerve,  who 
were  fearless  and  sagacious  in  facing  the  future.  They 
were  cheered  not  more  by  the  achievements  of  the  past 
than  by  the  promises  of  the  future.  God  was  opening  wide 
the  doors  of  opportunity,  in  Texas,  and  they  were  respond- 
ing with  becoming  alacrity.  Two  new  churches  had  re- 
cently become  constituent  members  of  the  body — Concord 
and  New  Year's  Creek  churches.  This  was  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  J.  W.  D.  Creath  before  a  general  body  in  the 
state.  He  preached  that  year  the  introductory  sermon  before 
the  Association.  News  was  brought  of  the  organization  of  a 
new  association  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state,  and  Z.  N. 
Morrell  was  appointed  to  open  correspondence  with  that 
body.  The  founding  of  the  Southwestern  Baptist  Chron- 
icle, at  New  Orleans,  by  W.  C.  Duncan  during  that  year, 
led  to  the  adoption  of  that  journal  as  a  convenient  medium 
of  communication.  For  the  first  time,  it  was  proposed  at 
this  session,  to  submit  to  the  churches  the  feasibility  of  or- 
ganizing the  Baptist  state  convention.  A  central  committee 
was  appointed  to  take  the  matter  in  hand,  and  if  the  re- 
sponses from  the  churches  should  prove  favorable,  to  name 
a  time  and  place  where  such  body  should  be  organized. 

The  progress  made  by  the  Association  was  indicated  by 
reports  which  showed  that  during  the  year  one  hundred 
and  forty  had  been  baptized,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  had  been  received  by  letter.  At  this  time  there  were 
twenty  churches  belonging  to  the  Association  with  a  total 
membership  of  seven  hundred  and  sixty-one.  At  the  ses- 
sion" held  at  Houston,  five  of  the  churches  applied  for  letters 
of  admission,  in  order  to  unite  with  others  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  new  association.  These  were,  LaGrange,  Mace- 
donia, Plum  Grove,  Bethany  and  Rocky  Creek.  A  commit- 
tee consisting  of  Garrett,  Huckins,  Tryon,  Morrell  and  Hill 
was  appointed  to  aid  in  the  formation  of  the  contemplated 
body.  Within  the  next  two  months,  the  Colorado  Associa- 
tion was  constituted  at  Rocky  Creek  church,  in  Lavaca 
countv.     It  was  constituted  on  Thursdav  before  the  third 


(JJj  1118TOKV    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Sunday  in  November,  1847.  This  was  a  most  important 
organization,  as  the  churches  entering  into  it  represented 
six  counties  which,  at  that  time  extended  from  the  city  of 
Austin  to  the  coast,  and  westward,  as  far  as  the  Guadahipe 
river.  The  first  recording  secretary  of  the  Colorado  Asso- 
ciation was  Thomas  J.  Pilgrim,  the  founder  of  the  first 
Sunday  school  in  the  state. 

In  July,  1847,  the  First  Church  of  Austin  was  consti- 
stituted,  with  an  original  membership  of  eight,  and  with  R.  H. 
Taliaferro  as  pastor.  Taliaferro  was  a  Kentuckian  who 
had  been  sent  to  Texas  as  a  missionary  by  the  American 
Home  Mission  Society.  He  was  a  preacher  of  unusual 
eloquence  and  has  been  called  "the  Apollo  of  the  Texas 
Baptist  pulpit."  In  connection  with  him,  may  be  named  a 
man  of  far  different  type,  but  earnest,  zealous  and  success- 
ful, in  the  person  of  Rev.  Richard  Ellis.  From  being  a 
common  laborer  he  became  a  preacher,  and  was  a  man  cf 
great  usefulness  in  the  region  of  the  Colorado.  He  was  a 
most  strenuous  and  stentorian  preacher,  and  it  is  believed 
that  his  premature  death  was  due  to  undue  exertion  in  the 
pulpit.  Mr.  Ellis  was  the  first  moderator  of  the  Colorado 
Association. 

During  the  year  1847  the  city  of  Houston  was  visited 
by  a  terrible  scourge  of  yellow  fever.  A  series  of  meetings 
was  in  progress  in  the  First  Baptist  Church  when  the  fever 
appeared.  A  wild  panic  ensued  on  its  appearance,  and,  of 
course,  the  meeting  was  brought  to  a  sudden  close.  Pastor 
Tryon  at  once  turned  his  attention  to  the  afflicted  portion  of 
the  community,  and  moved  through  the  rage  of  the  scourge, 
a  messenger  of  peace  and  consolation.  Himself  falling  a 
victim  to  the  fever,  he  died  on  November  16,  1847,  in  the 
prime  of  usefulness.  The  death  of  so  eminent  a  man  at 
this  time,  was  a  sad  blow  to  the  rising  cause  in  the  state. 
He  was  one  of  the  foremost  prompters  of  every  interest 
fostered  by  the  Baptists  of  the  state.  He  was  the  first  to 
suggest  the  founding  of  Baylor  University,  from  which  has 
sprung  the  educational  interests  of  Texas  Baptists.  No  man 
has  left  a  brighter  chapter  in  the  Baptist  historv  of  Texas 
than  W.  M.  Tryon. 

The  progress  and  glowing  prospects  in  the  west,  in  the 
closing  period   of   1847.   ^^'''^  offset  bv  the  troubles  in  the 


EDUCATION    AND    EVANGELIZATION  (ij) 

eastern  part  of  the  state.  The  anti-missionary  agitation, 
already  alluded  to,  became  more  aggravated  as  time  went 
on,  and  culminated  this  year  in  the  dissolution  of  the  Sabine 
Association.  It  was  not  altogether  undesired  that  the  oppo- 
nents to  missions  had  withdrawn,  as  it  was  the  signal  for 
renewed  life  in  the  ranks  of  the  denomination  proper,  while 
it  marked  the  beginning  of  the  decline  of  the  churches  and 
other  organizations  which  stood  in  the  way  of  the  progress 
of  missions.  In  consequence  of  the  dissolution  of  the  Sa- 
bine Association  four  churches — Macedonia,  Henderson, 
Eight-Mile  and  Border,  entered  into  an  organization,  the 
distinctive  name  of  which  was  an  index  of  its  principles — 
The  Eastern  Missionary  Baptist  Association.  The  man 
who  had  stood  valiantly  at  the  front,  in  behalf  of  New 
Testament  principles,  against  a  strong  pressure  of  opposi- 
tion, was  rewarded  with  the  moderatorship  of  the  new  body 
—Rev.  Lemuel  Herrin.  Undaunted,  this  quiet  but  heroic 
man,  in  a  region  which  required  pluck,  had  held  at  bay 
the  opposing  forces  for  years  together.  He  was  one  of 
those  heroes  who,  without  the  animation  which  comes  of 
surroundings,  drew  his  inspiration  from  principle  alone, 
and  never  wavered  the  breadth  of  the  hair  at  times  when  it 
seemed  that  all  was  against  him.  He  found  a  worth}^  and 
timely  coadjutor  when  Rev.  Jesse  Witt,  of  Virginia,  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  Southern  Domestic  Mission  Board,  appeared 
on  the  scene  in  eastern  Texas.  Together  with  Creath,  Witt 
had  offered  himself  in  the  open  session  of  the  Southern 
Convention  the  year  before  as  a  missionary  to  Texas.  A 
man  of  marked  ability,  and  of  profound  and  cool  wisdom, 
he  was  fitted  to  deal  with  a  delicate  and  difficult  situation. 
He  reached  eastern  Texas  at  a  most  opportune  time,  and 
was  largely  instrumental  in  arresting  the  decay  of  the  mis- 
sionary spirit  in  that  needed  quarter.  Witt's  labors  as  a 
missionary  were  confined,  for  a  period  of  years,  to  San  Au- 
gustine county,  after  which  he  became  pastor  at  Marshall. 
The  fate  of  the  churches  which  severed  themselves  from 
the  missionary  body  was  that  which  might  have  been  ex- 
pected. They  organized  what  they  called  the  Freewill  Bap- 
tist Association  at  Agish  Bayou  Church, '  and  when  they 
came  to  embody  their  principles,  they  emphasized  free  sal- 


HON.    CHARLES    B.    STEWART.    HOUSTON,   TEXAS. 


EDUCATION    AND    EVANGELIZATION  7 J 

vation  and  freedom  of  the  will,  to  the  exclusion  of  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God.  They  adopted  open  communion, 
and  rejected  the  doctrine  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints. 
The  fanatical  extent  to  which  they  were  betrayed  found  ex- 
pression in  the  following : 

"Resolved,  That  this  Association  recommend  to  the 
prayerful  consideration  of  all  the  friends  of  the  Redeemer, 
that  instead  of  building  tents  out  of  wood  on  such  occasions 
(as  those  of  worship)  each  head  of  the  family  make  a  tent 
of  cloth,  and  take  their  wagon  with  enough  forage  to  feed 
their  horses  for  a  few  days,  and  enough  of  light  diet  to  feed 
their  families  and  approach  the  door  of  the  sanctuary  as  the 
Israelites  did  the  tabernacle.  Take  God  at  his  word,  and 
lay  hold  of  his  promises,  and  see  if  He  will  not  pour  you 
out  a  blessing  that  will  fill  your  heart  with  gladness  and 
make  you  rejoice  in  place  of  mourn,  when  you  come  to  press 
a  dying  pillow." 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add  that  this  organization 
made  no  headway,  and  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  years  became 
extinct. 

As  a  result  of  the  herculean  toils  of  jMorrell  and  Byars 
in  the  region  of  the  Trinity  river,  the  Trinity  River  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  on  Saturday  before  the  third  Sunday 
in  July,  1848.  These  indefatigable  men  had  been  active  for 
years  in  this  region  as  well  in  that  lying  toward  the  north, 
a  number  of  churches  had  been  formed,  and  now  they  find 
a  culmination  in  their  work  in  the  constitution  of  this  asso- 
ciation, which  was  destined  to  become  one  of  the  strongest 
in  the  state.  Z.  N.  JMorrell  was  chosen  the  first  moderator 
of  the  new  body,  into  which  came  the  Leona,  Society  Hill, 
Springfield,  Union  Hill,  Corsicana,  and  Providence 
churches.  The  association  was  constituted  at  the  last- 
named  of  these  churches,  which  was  in  Navarro  county. 
From  the  beginning,  this  was  a  strong  and  progressive 
body. 

Most  of  those  who  were  coming  to  the  state  at  that  time, 
were  planters,  who  bought  land  and  located  in  the  country, 
and  yet  there  were  others  who  located  at  points  which  rap- 
idly grew  into  towns,  and  eventvially  into  cities.  The  Bap- 
tists were  sufficiently  wide  awake  to  see  the  necessity  of 


72  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

forecasting  time  by  establishing  places  of  worship  in  these 
embryonic  centers.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the  state,  Mar- 
shall had  grown  to  be  a  town  of  considerable  size,  and  here, 
on  May  8,  1847,  the  First  Baptist  Church  was  organized, 
with  twelve  members.  The  organization  was  effected  by 
Revs.  G.  W.  Baines,  Sr.,  and  John  Brice,  the  latter  becoming 
pastor  of  the  new  church. 

While  the  work  was  assuming  larger  proportions  in  the 
eastern,  western  and  northern  parts  of  the  new  state,  its 
vitality  was  somewhat  on  the  wane  in  the  southern  end.  A 
staggering  blow  had  been  given  the  cause  by  the  untimely 
death  of  Tryon  and  the  visitation  of  the  yellow  fever.  In 
Galveston,  Huckins  had  wrought  marvelously  and  had 
organized  a  strong  church.  He  had  raised  a  sufficient 
amount  of  money  to  build  a  good  house  of  worship,  partly 
within  the  church  and  partly  as  a  result  of  a  soliciting  tour 
through  the  states.  In  due  time,  the  house  of  worship  was 
dedicated,  shortly  after  which  Mr.  Huckins  resigned.  The 
two  events,  the  death  of  Tryon  and  the  resignation  of  Huck- 
ins, left  a  serious  breach  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 
Some  time  later  Professor  J.  F.  Hillyer  was  called  from  the 
chair  of  natural  sciences  in  Mercer  University  to  the  pas- 
torate of  the  First  Church  of  Galveston,  and  Rufus  C. 
Burleson  became  the  pastor  of  the  church  at  Houston. 

By  this  time,  conditions  had  greatly  improved  in  Texas. 
The  people  were  beginning  to  erect  substantial  homes,  val- 
uable plantations  had  been  brought  into  tillage,  some  good 
public  roads  had  been  established,  business  houses  and  meet- 
ing houses  had  in  many  instances  supplanted  the  miserable 
makeshifts  of  the  past,  and  all  over  the  regions  where  coun- 
ties had  been  organized  and  populated,  good  court  houses 
and  other  public  buildings  were  being  reared.  Nor  were 
the  spiritual  forces  less  active.  Every  advantage  gained 
was  a  stepping-stone  to  something  higher  and  nobler.  No 
horizon  bounded  the  hopes  and  expectations  of  the  people 
of  God.  That  which  they  proposed  to  accomplish  was 
without  limit.  By  this  underlying  principle,  which  is  insep- 
arable from  Christianity,  the  earfy  Baptists  of  Texas  were 
actuated.     There  was  never  satisfaction  with  present  prog- 


EDUCATION    AND    EVANGELIZATION  73 

ress.     There  was  alwa3fs  more  to  be  done  than  had  been 
done.    Will  this  not  be  true  to  the  end? 

The  prosperity  attained  by  the  people  generally  and  the 
organization  of  churches  and  associations,  so  far  from 
diminishing  the  labors  of  the  ministry,  really  increased  them. 
Indeed,  the  demands  on  the  ministry,  both  of  the  missionary 
on  the  field  and  of  the  pastor  in  the  local  church  or  churches, 
greatly  increased  with  time.  Immigrants  were  pouring  in 
from  every  quarter  and  establishing  their  homes  over  the 
land.  The  small  centers  were  multiplying  and  the  larger 
ones  were  growing.  To  knead  the  divers  elements  into  con- 
sistency and  harmony  was  not  an  easy  task.  The  early 
Baptists  had  set  the  pace  of  conformity  to  rigid  orthodox 
principles,  had  firmly  declined  the  slightest  allegiance  with 
all  else,  and  had  stoutly  set  themselves  against  the  faintest 
semblance  of  compromise.  On  whatever  other  points  there 
might  have  been  a  variance  among  the  Baptists  of  Texas 
at  this  time,  on  the  maintenance  of  sound  doctrine  they 
were  a  unit.  Zealous  in  the  prosecution  of  a  much-needed 
work  and  anxious  that  Baptists  coming  from  other  states 
be  gotten  into  active  organization,  and  that  the  masses  be 
saved,  still  they  would  not  vary  in  the  slightest  or  bend  a 
principle  in  the  least  to  procure  an  increase  of  membership 
to  the  churches.  Campbellism  and  its  misleading  doctrines 
had  been  expelled  and  the  opponents  to  the  spreading  of 
the  gospel  had  been  left  to  themselves  and  the  orthodox 
churches  were  holding  on  their  way,  reliant  on  the  truth  to 
vindicate  itself.  Besides  the  questions  already  alluded  to  as 
settled  in  the  Baptist  churches,  another  just  as  vexatious 
appeared  at  a  later  time — that  of  alien  immersion.  Of 
those  coming  into  the  state  from  Virginia,  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee  many  were  followers  of  Alexander  Campbell, 
and  others  were  members  of  Pedo-baptist  churches,  though 
they  had  been  immersed.  In  different  quarters  the  pressure 
was  brought  against  Baptist  churches  to  recognize  the 
validity  of  the  ordinance  as  thus  administered,  but  with  a 
firmness  as  pronounced  as  it  had  been  in  other  instances 
pastors  and  churches  declined  to  yield.  This  unflinching 
consistency  gave  the  Baptists  of  Texas  a  reputation  from 
the  beginning. 


74  UISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

The  changes  of  pastors  at  Galveston  and  Houston,  which 
occurred  ahnost  simuUaneousIy,  occasioned  by  the  resig- 
nation of  Pastor  Huckins  and  the  death  of  the  devoted 
Tryon,  had  for  a  time  left  conditions  in  these  fields  in  a 
doubtful  state.  The  vacancy  left  by  two  such  men  was  a 
serious  one,  especially  in  southern  Texas.  To  this  was 
added  another  misfortune,  that  of  the  retirement  from 
active  labor  of  Rev.  Z.  N.  Morrell.  In  the  closing  days  of 
1847,  broken  health  netessitated  his  partial  retirement.  He 
had  been  the  most  zealous  and  arduous  of  the  missionaries 
in  his  labors,  and  toughened  as  he  was  by  the  exposures' 
on  the  plains  and  in  the  varying  conditons  of  weather,  he 
was  admonished  that  if  he  did  not  desist  at  this  time,  his  life 
would  pay  the  cost,  and  he  resigned  as  the  missionary  of 
the  Domestic  Mission  Board,  and  went  to  his  little  farm. 
But  the  fires  of  the  missionary  still  burned  within  the  bosom 
of  this  devoted  man  of  God,  even  in  his  home  beside  the 
Brazos.  As  a  self-appointed  missionary  he  continued  his 
labors  in  the  region  of  his  home,  radiating  from  it  as  a 
common  center.  For  the  dire  emerg.encies  frequent  on  a 
field  like  this,  no  one  was  more  many-sided  in  experience 
and  wisdom  than  was  Morrell.  Nor  was  he  allowed  to  be 
quiet  from  solicitation,  from  counsel,  and  the  exercise  of 
his  remarkable  wisdom.  Without  pretension  he  bore  him- 
self naturally  on  all  occasions  and  preached  the  truth  always 
with  unvarnished  simplicity,  but  always  with  efifective  force. 
He  would  jocularly  call  himself  the  "canebrake  preacher"' 
and  "the  briar-cutter,"  but  with  the  people  he  was  second 
to  none  of  his  contemporaries  in  the  sway  of  power.  And 
in  the  ambitious  outreach  of  the  denomination  for  great 
schools  of  learning,  he  was  a  foremost  advocate  and  friend. 
With  the  advent  of  1848  conditions  had  immensely  improved 
in  the  Baptist  ranks  in  Texas. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AN   EVENTFUL   PERIOD. 

The  results  of  the  labors  of  the  Christian  missionary 
were  now  manifest  in  many  parts  of  Texas.  He  had  made 
possible  every  step  of  progress  that  had  been  taken  in  church 
and  civic  life.  Nothing  that  had  contributed  to  the  im- 
provement of  the  common  weal  or  to  the  expansion  of 
public  interest  was  without  his  share.  Within  the  heart  of 
every  movement  his  influence  dwxlt.  He  had  borne  con- 
tentment to  the  dweller  in  the  home  in  the  wilderness, 
which  had  been  exchanged  for  another  and  better  far  away ; 
he  had  cheered  with  encouragement  in  seasons  of  depres- 
sion, which  at  intervals  came  to  the  immigrant ;  he  had 
stood  in  the  ranks  of  hostility  with  his  musket  when  neces- 
sary to  assist  in  turning  back  the  foe ;  he  had  blazed  the 
way  through  the  jungles  of  the  untamed  wilderness  and  his 
presence  had  inspired  confidence  in  periods  of  doubt ;  he 
had  often  been  the  bond  to  unite  differences  between  man 
and  man  and  had  served  to  restore  amity  in  communities 
w  here  passion  had  held  sway ;  he  had  made  possible,  courts 
of  justice,  and  had  lent  them  strength  in  the  exercise  of 
their  special  functions ;  he  had  been  the  uncompromising 
eliminator  of  vice,  and  had  stamped  with  the  brand  of  con- 
demnation crime  in  all  its  forms;  he  was  the  pioneer  of 
education  in  a  great  state,  slowly  emerging  from  pristine 
savagery  and,  most  of  all,  he  had  infused  that  sense  of 
recognition  of  God  and  of  his  claims  on  every  soul,  and 
had  thus  been  the  chief  lever  in  raising  the  growing  popu- 
lation of  Texas  to  a  higher  condition  of  real  life. 

What  marvelous  changes  had  been  wrought  within  a 
brief  period  of  time !  Twenty  years  ago  Texas  was  a  wil- 
derness, the  sway  of  which  was  divided  between  the  wild 
beasts  that  roamed  its  plains  and  the  equally  wild  savage. 

75 


76 


mSTUKi     OF    TKXA8    BAPTISTS 


with  the  rare  occasional  settlement  of  Spaniards,  whose 
civilization  was  only  elementary,  and  whose  communities 
were  so  far  separated  that  they  were  scarcely  known  to 
exist.  But  for  the  presence  of  the  Anglo-American,  condi- 
tions such  as  he  found  in  Texas  would  have  remained  un- 
changed for  all  time  to  come.  Between  these  widely  separated 


REV.    M.    V.    SMITH. 


settlements  of  Mexicans  or  Spaniards  there  ran  the  zigzag 
trail  along  which,  at  occasional  intervals,  would  pass  short 
caravans  of  scrawny  mustang  ponies  laden  with  the  crude 
pelfry  of  savage  commerce.  During  favored  seasons  the 
half-nude  Indian  hunters  would  descend  into  the  plains  and 
virgin  forests,  gather  stores  of  meat  from  the  abounding 
game,  and  again  leave  the  fertile  wilderness  in  its  wanton- 


AN    EVENTFUL    PEEIOD  77 

ness  of  untamed  grandeur.  Meanwhile  resources  that  would 
have  thrilled  the  commerce  of  the  world  slumbered  in  its 
deep,  rich  soils,  in  its  treasured  quarries  of  stone,  its  un- 
touched mines  of  ore,  and  its  forests  of  valuable  timbers, 
with  their  solitudes  yet  unbroken  by  the  sound  of  the  ax  or 
the  swish  of  the  saw. 

After  twenty  years,  what?  A  thrifty  population  had 
spread  over  the  plains,  and  goodly  homes  nestled  in  con- 
tentment and  plenty  on  well-tilled  farms ;  villages  and  towns 
now  dotted  the  broad  land,  and  the  bustle  of  business  and 
the  hum  of  commerce  now  filled  the  air ;  highways  of  com- 
munication knitted  the  centers  into  comity  of  interest,  and 
peace  and  prosperity  reigned ;  temples  of  praise  to  God  had 
been  reared  in  country  and  town  alike,  and  the  name  of 
the  Most  High  was  adored,  and  justice  was  meted  out, 
rights  and  privileges  respected,  and  the  laws  were  enforced. 
Besides,  schools  of  learning  had  been  built,  libraries  and 
lyceums  established,  and  refinement  had  taken  the  place  of 
savagery,  and  the  light  of  learning  was  dispelling  the  dark- 
ened ignorance.  The  Christian  missionary  had  come,  and 
the  attendant  train  of  advantages  was  inevitable. 

The  year  1848  broke  auspiciously  on  the  Baptist  cause 
in  Texas.  It  was  destined  to  witness  a  great  stride  on  the 
part  of  the  denomination,  which  had  up  to  this  thne  over- 
come every  obstruction,  and  had  grounded  itself  throughout 
the  state,  its  achievements  being  limited  only  by  the  boun- 
daries of  the  swelling  population.  As  has  been  said,  the 
gaps  occasioned  in  the  pastorates  at  Galveston  and  Houston 
had  been  filled.  Professor  Hillyer  had  succeeded  Mr. 
Huckins,  but  his  pastorate  was  as  brief  as  it  was  unevent- 
ful. After  eight  months,  he  retired  from  the  pastorate  and 
left  it  again  vacant.  Houston  was  more  fortunate.  Mr. 
Burleson  assumed  charge  of  the  First  Church  of  the  latter 
city  in  the  beginning  of  1848,  and  with  consuming  enthusi- 
asm and  unquenchable  energy,  for  which  he  was  always 
noted,  he  began  to  bring  things  to  pass.  The  name  of 
Burleson  was  one  not  unfamiliar  to  the  ears  of  early  Tex- 
ans.  General  Ed.  Burleson,  a  distinguished  cousin  of  Rufus 
C,  had  long  been  the  idol  of  the  pioneer  army.  He  was 
distinguished  by  qualites  of  a  rare  combination.    At  another 


78  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

time  and  further  on,  there  will  be  occasion  to  refer  to  him 
more  in  detail. 

Rufus  C.  Burleson  had  enjoyed  exceptional  advantages 
in  scholastic  training,  for  the  time  in  which  he  lived,  was 
ardent  in  temperament,  exceedingly  but  commendably  ambi- 
tious, facile  in  speech,  commanding  in  person,  inimitably 
energetic  and  possessed  of  a  self-confidence  and  assertive- 
ness  that  cjualificd  him  for  the  difficult  tasks  which  Provi- 
dence imposed  in  a  new  region,  while  these  qualities  brought 
into  exercise  every  power  of  his  being.  Another  with 
equal  capability  but  with  reserve,  would  have  led  a  life  of 
plodding  mediocrity ;  but  Mr.  Burleson,  with  a  full  appreci- 
ation of  his  own  inherent  power  and  without  apology  for 
the  full  exercise  of  his  gifts,  by  dint  of  asserted  merit  made 
himself  a  recognized  force  among  men  and  rose  to  distinc- 
tion in  the  state  and  in  the  ranks  of  his  own  denomination. 
He  was  just  budding  into  usefulness  when,  with  conse- 
crated spirit,  he  entered  on  his  wonderful  career  in  Texas. 
Reaching  Galveston  on  January  5,  1848,  where  he  preached 
on  his  way  to  Houston,  he  was  delighted  with  his  first  im- 
pressions of  Texas.  Arriving  in  Houston,  he  assumed  his 
])astorate  under  peculiar  difficulties.  The  church  had  be- 
come demoralized  by  the  prevalence  of  the  yellow  fever 
during  the  preceding  fall,  the  pastor  had  died,  the  congrega- 
tion was  badly  scattered,  and  but  little  church  life  was  left. 
Other  unfavorable  conditions  met  him  at  the  threshold  of 
his  work  in  the  Bayou  City.  The  town  was  filled  with 
straggling  soldiers  who  were  returning  from  the  close  of 
the  Mexican  war,  while  the  news  of  the  discovery  of  gold 
in  California  had  set  the  people  wild,  so  that  little  else  was 
thought  of  or  talked  about. 

Shortly  after  beginning  his  work,  he  was  urged  by  Mr. 
Hillyer  to  go  to  Galveston  to  hold  a  meeting.  He  was 
reluctant  to  respond  favorably  to  so  inviting  a  call  because 
he  had  just  begun  his  work,  but  his  visit  to  Galveston  and 
the  meeting  which  followed  were  attended  with  the  richest 
results  and  arrested  the  evident  decline  of  interest  in  that 
city  beside  the  sea.  Returning  to  Houston  he  took  up  the 
work  of  rehabilitation  in  a  most  difficult  situation.  The 
conditions   were   trying  and   the  progress   slow.      The  tact 


AN    EVENTFUL    PERIOD  79 

and  energy  of  the  young  pastor  were  sorely  tested,  but 
he  brought  a  gradual  change  to  the  situation.  Nor  were 
his  subsequent  labors  confined  to  the  city  of  his  pastorate. 
Other  points  called  into  exercise  his  gifts  and  he  was  sum- 
moned here  and  there  to  conduct  meetings.  The  most 
urgent  of  these  came  from  Brenham,  where  Mr.  Burleson 
held  a  remarkable  meeting  and  laid  the  basis  of  the  Baptist 
cause  in  that  town. 

While  these  events  were  occurring  in  southern  Texas, 
others  equally  as  notable  were  taking  place  in  other  parts 
of  the  state.  With  a  consecration  worthy  of  the  first  days 
of  the  Christian  era,  men  were  laboring  in  Texas  with 
amazing  ardor  and  success.  Everywhere  the  cords  were 
being  lengthened  and  the  stakes  strengthened.  As  far  north 
as  the  frontier  extended  the  cause  had  been  carried,  and  as 
vantage  grounds  were  gained  they  were  held  with  a  firm 
grip.  N.  T.  Byars,  whose  name  is  inseparable  from  the 
heroic  in  early  Texas  Baptist  history,  was  laboriously  and 
unremittingly  touring  the  regions  along  the  western  banks 
of  the  Trinity.  Often  his  was  a  house-to-house  campaign, 
but  gathering  a  crowd  when  he  could,  he  would  tell  the 
tidings  of  great  joy,  but  finding  a  solitary  auditor  if  none 
other  could  be  found.  On  the  western  side  of  the  river 
Pickett,  Briscoe,  Piland  and  their  colaborers  were  working 
to  establish  another  association  well  toward  the  north. 

The  elTorts  to  organize  the  state  convention  were  encour- 
aging. There  was  a  general  desire  on  the  part  of  the 
churches  for  the  organization,  and  the  times  were  ripe  for 
such  an  undertaking.  There  were  now  four  associations 
well  equipped  and  as  solidly  compact  in  sentiment  as  men 
and  women  ever  were.  These  associations  were  extended 
over  immense  areas  of  territory,  each  being  many  times 
larger  than  such  bodies  now  are.  These  associations  were 
the  Union,  Eastern  Missionary,  Colorado  and  Trinity  River. 
The  Union  had  been  the  general  rallying  ground  of  the 
churches  for  a  long  period,  when  the  churches  were  few 
and  covered  only  a  limited  amount  of  territory.  But  others 
had  now  grown  into  equal  importance  and  the  general  desire 
was  to  combine  into  a  central  body.  Accordingly,  Septem- 
ber 8,  1848,  was  the  time  named  for  the  gathering  of  the 


80  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

messengers  to  organize  the  state  convention,  and  Anderson 
was  the  place  named.  At  this  time  there  were  about  thirty- 
five  Baptist  churches  in  the  state,  twenty-one  of  which 
entered  into  the  original  organization.  These  were  Inde- 
pendence, Washington,  Dove,  Providence  in  Washington 
county,  Houston,  Rocky  Creek,  Post  Oak  Grove,  Antioch, 
Concord,  New  Year's  Creek,  Matagorda,  Gonzales,  Austin, 
Cuero,  Bedais,  Mount  Gilead,  Galveston,  Hamilton,  Whar- 
ton, LaGrange  and  Bethany.  President  H.  L.  Graves,  of 
Baylor  University,  had  been  chosen  to  preach  the  intro- 
ductory sermon  with  Noah  Hill  as  alternate,  but  for  some 
reason  neither  would  preach,  though  both  were  present, 
and  the  old  veteran,  Z.  N.  Morrell,  was  pressed  into  service 
and  preached.  He  claimed  in  beginning  that  he  had  no 
reputation  to  make  as  a  preacher,  and  none  to  lose.  His 
discourse  was  founded  on  Isaiah  9  i/.  "Of  the  increase  of 
his  government  and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end."  The  ser- 
mon was  one  of  inimitable  simplicity  and  of  that  earnest 
ruggedness  that  bespoke  the  struggles  of  the  missionary  on 
the  plains,  as  he  was  impelled  in  his  labors  by  the  one  con- 
trolling motive — the  unlimited  possibilities  of  the  kingdom 
of  Christ.  One  advancement  of  his  people  only  served  to 
lead  to  that  which  was  higher  and  greater.  By  that  sign 
God's  people  should  be  able  to  conquer. 

After  the  sermon  the  body  was  formally  organized  by 
the  election  of  H.  L.  Graves,  president;  J.  W.  D.  Creath, 
Hosea  Garrett  and  James  Huckins,  vice  presidents ;  J-  G. 
Thomas,  recording  secretary ;  R.  C.  Burleson,  correspond- 
ing secretary ;  and  J.  W.  Barnes,  treasurer.  Committees 
were  named  to  prepare  reports  on  education,  foreign  mis- 
sions, home  missions,  the  colored  population,  finance  and  a 
Baptist  paper  for  Texas.  The  report  on  education  was  a 
ringing  appeal  in  behalf  of  the  needs  of  Baylor  University, 
which  became  an  absorbing  topic,  and  from  the  outset  was 
regarded  the  anchor  of  the  convention.  Special  stress  was 
laid  on  the  importance  of  contributing  means  for  the  edu- 
cation of  the  ministry  in  order  to  meet  the  growing  demands 
of  the  state.  In  the  discussion  of  the  report  on  education 
the  unlettered  preacher  vied  with  his  more  favored  and 
scholarly  brother  in  the  urgency  of  this  appeal. 


AN    EVENTFUL    PEEIOD  81 

With  respect  to  foreign  missions  the  following  was 
adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  we  most  highly  approve  of  and  deeply 
sympathize  with  foreign  missions,  and  will  assist  by  our 
humble  prayers  and  incessant  efforts." 

The  report  on  domestic  missions  engaged  itself  chiefly 
with  the  inadequacy  of  the  means  to  meet  the  demands  in 
Texas.  Fields  were  white  unto  the  harvest,  but  the  har- 
vesters were  wanting.  The  report  on  the  colored  population 
was  an  earnest  appeal  in  behalf  of  the  slaves  in  our  homes 
and  on  our  plantations.  The  startling  statement  was  made 
that  large  numbers  of  the  black  population  in  our  state  had 
not  heard  the  gospel  for  years  together,  and  that  the  time 
had  come  when  attention  to  their  spiritual  welfare  was  a 
burning  obligation.  The  paper  question  was  one  of  absorb- 
ing interest,  as  the  need  of  a  denominational  organ  was 
already  urgent ;  but  it  was  urged  that  when  established  it 
be  managed  entirely  as  an  individual  enterprise. 

The  receipts  of  the  year  were :  For  general  purposes. 
$71;  for  China  missions,  from  Matagorda  church,  $11.50; 
and  for  African  missions,  from  the  colored  members  of  the 
Matagorda  church,  $11.50.  This  represented  the  meager- 
ness  of  contributions,  at  that  time,  but  it  was  the  acorn  in 
which  slumbers  the  forest.  Houston  was  named  as  the  next 
place  of  meeting,  and  the  convention  adjourned.  As  far  as 
could  be  true  affairs  were  now  well  in  hand.  There  was  at 
least  the  encouragement  of  a  beginning.  Organized  on-  the 
basis  of  the  two  cardinal  principles  of  education  and  evan- 
gelization, the  equipment  of  agencies  necessary  to  promote 
these  on  lines  entirely  distinct  and  yet  thoroughly  har- 
monious was  that  which  now  engrossed  the  attention  of  the 
Baptist  leaders  of  Texas. 

After  his  retirement  from  the  Galveston  pastorate  Mr. 
Huckins  was  employed  as  the  financial  agent  of  Baylor  Uni- 
versity with  a  twofold  object:  to  erect  adequate  buildings 
and  to  provide  a  suitable  and  ample  endowment.  His  was 
a  herculean  task  and  one  that  involved  the  most  irksome 
labor.  Mounted  on  his  pony,  this  gifted  man  threaded  the 
plains,  following  the  cattle  trails  from  one  settlement  to 
another,  and  was  sometimes  compelled  to  swim  swollen  and 


82  UlSTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

bridgeless  streams.  Money  was  scant,  and  the  disposition 
to  give  it  sometimes  scantier,  and  the  rewards  of  the  ardu- 
ous efforts  of  the  university  agent  were  gifts  of  wild  lands, 
beeves,  cows  and  calves,  dried  hides,  tallow  and  mustang 
ponies.  He  came  more  nearly  procuring  the  elements  of  a 
museum  for  the  school  than  an  endowment.  Only  insig- 
nificant sums  of  money  were  realized.  Two  difficulties  lay 
in  his  way :  the  people  were  without  the  means  to  give,  and 
they  were  without  the  disposition.  They  had  never  been 
trained  in  the  grace  of  giving.  The  work  of  Huckins  and 
of  every  other  at  that  time  was  fundamental  and  prospective. 
The  men  of  that  early  time  were  educators  of  those  of  the 
times  to  come.  Their  work  was  not  misspent  nor  their 
labors  lost.  The  most  liberal  contributor  to  the  endowment 
of  Baylor  University  at  that  time  was  General  Morgan  L. 
Smith,  a  rich  sugar  planter  in  the  region  of  Old  Caney,  who 
gave  $200  to  the  cause  of  education,  and  his  gift  was 
accounted  a  most  munificent  one.  Elsewhere  Mr.  Huckins 
traveled  with  the  vain  hope  of  enlisting  the  gifts  of  those 
of  other  states  in  behalf  of  education  in  Texas,  but  the 
people  of  the  older  states  hooted  at  the  idea  of  building  a 
university  in  the  wilds  of  Texas,  so  little  did  they  know  of 
the  real  situation  in  this  strenuous  quarter  of  the  Union. 
Not  until  the  Baptists  of  Texas  emerged  from  their  incip- 
ient struggles  in  gaining  a  firm  foothold,  largely  by  their 
own  unaided  efforts,  were  the  eyes  of  the  people  elsewhere 
opened  to  the  fact  that  the  enterprises  set  afoot  here  were 
not  visions,  but  genuine  realities.  When  the  Baptists  of 
Texas  built  themselves  into  astonishing  greatness  it  was  a 
revelation  to  many  thousands  who  were  indebted  to  their 
imaginations  for  their  assumed  facts.  After  the  most  oner- 
ous eft'orts  for  five  years,  Mr.  Huckins  was  able  to  report 
that  he  had  accumulated  the  sum  of  $1,300  in  cash  for  the 
endowment  of  the  university,  together  with  notes  of  sub- 
scription for  $30,000,  besides  some  such  appurtenances  as 
books  and  apparatus.  Meagerly  paid  himself  for  his  serv- 
ices, it  became  necessary  for  Mr.  Huckins  now  and  then 
to  make  a  draft  on  his  own  slender  income  to  enable  the 
college  to  keep  going.    • 

P.nf-  nnthins  conld  daunt  or  deter  the  invincible  Texans. 


AN    EVENTFUL    PERIOD  83 

Their  faces  were  forward  and  the  question  of  supremacy 
between  them  and  the  difficulties  which  embarrassed  them 
was  one  that  had  to  be  settled  on  the  field  of  contest. 
Inured  to  obstructions,  their  experiences  had  made  them 
brave  and  invincible.  They  yielded  to  nothing,  and  the  for- 
lorn hope  of  an  enterprise  was  of  greater  value  to  them 
than  immediate  success  would  have  been.  In  quarters  of 
the  country  where  conditions  were  oppositely  different — 
where  environment  of  culture  and  of  wealth  prevailed — it 
would  have  been  pronounced  absurd  to  undertake  to  do 
that  which  Texas  Baptists  were  seeking  to  do ;  but  the 
logic  of  the  years  has  vindicated  the  grit  and  wisdom  of 
these  early  Baptists.  The  seeds  of  the  harvests  of  these 
schools  have  been  prolifically  scattered  throughout  the 
broad  Union.  As  though  possessed  of  the  amplest  means 
it  was  determined  at  this  time  to  establish  a  law  department 
in  connection  with  Baylor  University.  The  services  of  the 
faculty  of  this  new  venture  were  altogether  gratuitous. 
Judges  Lipscomb  and  Baylor  proposed  to  deliver  the  req- 
uisite lectures  with  such  aid  as  might  be  given  by  Presi- 
dent Graves.  At  the  same  time  the  stone  building,  so  long 
talked  of,  was  begun.  These  movements  stimulated  confi- 
dence, without  which  the  school  would  have  before  this 
perished. 

On  the  field  there  was  a  slow  and  plodding  success 
attending  the  efforts  of  the  missionaries  and  pastors.  As 
new  difficulties  would  arise  they  would  be  met  with  cool 
wisdom  and  heroic  determination.  One  of  the  chief  diffi- 
culties was  that  of  the  growth  of  prosperity.  After  the 
fierce  struggles  of  years,  in  overcoming  prodigious  natural 
barriers,  and  after  much  privation,  the  people  were  begin- 
ning to  realize  the  rewards  of  industry.  The  fertile  lands 
yielded  their  increase,  which  was  so  far  in  excess  of  that 
attendant  on  similar  efforts  in  the  original  states,  that  the- 
people  were  becoming  more  absorbed  in  the  matter  of  gain, 
to  the  exclusion  of  other  and  graver  concerns  of  life.  Then, 
too,  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California  had  a  demoralizing 
influence  and  kept  the  public  mind  in  a  fever  of  excitement. 

During  the  year   1848  the  Red  River  Association  was 
organized  at  Honey  Grove  church.    Eight  churches  entered 


^4  IIISTOKY    Oh'    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

into  the  constitution  of  the  body :  Clarksville,  Shiloh, 
Salem,  South  Sulphur,  Liberty,  Bethel,  New  Salem  and 
Honey  Grove.  Rev.  Benjamin  Clark  was  the  first  modera- 
tor. The  territory  of  this  new  body  was  embraced  in  the 
counties  of  Bowie,  Red  River,  Lamar,  Fannin,  Titus  and 
Hopkins.  The  organization  was  largely  due  to  the  com- 
bined efiforts  of  such  tireless  missionaries  as  Benjamin 
Clark,  W.  M.  Pickett,  John  Briscoe  and  others. 


REV.  J.   B.  GAMBRELL,  D.  D. 

Corresponding    Secretary    Baptist    General    Convention    of    Texas. 

The  flow  of  population  into  the  state  continued,  new 
churches  were  organized,  and  large  accessions  were  being 
gained  alike  as  a  result  of  immigration  and  of  conversions 
from  the  faithful  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Pastors  and 
missionaries  were  never  busier.  To  reach  Baptists  as  they 
would  arrive,  and  enlist  them  as  speedily  as  possible  in 
church  work,  left  little  time  for  leisure.  The  world  has 
never  known   more   diligent   workers   or   wiser  organizers 


AN    EVENTFUL    PERIOD  85 

than  were  the  Baptist  preachers  in  this  state  at  that  time. 
Among  those  who  came  were  fresh  accessions  to  the  ranks 
of  the  ministry,  but  unless  these  proved  readily  adjustable 
to  the  novel  conditions  of  a  new  region,  they  were  of  small 
worth.  Frequently  all  traditional  ideas  concerning  pastoral 
work  and  preaching  had  to  be  surrendered  in  adjustment 
to  the  stirring,  and  not  infrequently  novel,  conditions  found 
in  Texas.  Often  the  wisdom  of  a  pastor  -was  taxed  to  the 
utmost  in  the  settlement  of  perplexing  questions  arising 
from  an  efifort  to  fuse  into  harmony  the  variant  sentiments 
of  members  coming  from  different  quarters  of  the  country, 
and  holding  divers  and  diverse  views.  Sometimes  a  min- 
ister would  be  attracted  to  Texas  by  the  general  report  of 
an  offer  of  a  wide  field  of  usefulness,  but  when  he  would 
come  to  learn  what  it  meant  he  would  seek  again  his  orig- 
inal haunts.  The  idea  of  ease  and  leisure  was  unknown 
to  those  who  had  joined  in  the  thick  of  the  fight  in  molding 
and  shaping  affairs  into  harmonious  symmetry  hi  this  great 
state.  In  the  older  states  customs  and  practices  had  become 
traditional ;  in  this  new  and  great  state  they  were  in  a 
formative  condition  and  were  destined  to  remain  so  for 
many  years  to  come.  A  minister  coming  to  a  Texas  pas- 
torate was  unprepared  and  unfitted,  until  he  was  ready  to 
comply  w'ith  the  apostolic  injunction  to  "endure  hardness 
as  a  good  soldier."  Yet  never  were  rewards  of  labor, 
greater  than  were  those  which  crowned  the  preacher  and 
pastor  on  the  busy  fields  of  Texas. 

In  the  ranks  of  the  churches  were  frequently  found  men 
and  women,  humble,  modest  and  unpretentious,  but  who' 
when  laden  with  burdens  in  the  sacred  cause,  became  the 
worthiest  of  pastoral  assistants.  In  many  respects  church 
work  in  Texas  differed  widely  from  that  in  other  regions 
of  the  country.  There  were  frequently  unusual  complica- 
tions arising  from  incoherency  of  membership  and  a  diver- 
sity of  view  on  points  of  doctrine  as  well  as  on  many  ques- 
tions in  the  conduct  of  church  affairs.  Fortunately 
the  original  promoters  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in 
Texas  were  men  of  unconquerable  zeal,  of  boundless 
energy,  of  cool  wisdom,  of  uncompromising  principle,  and 
they  were  men  of  prayer.     A  generation  of  Baptists  reared 


86  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

under  such  conditions  was  ready  to  transmit  to  the  genera- 
tions of  the  future  conditions  Hke  these,  and  it  is  not  a  mat- 
ter of  surprise  that  at  present  the  Baptists  of  Texas  are  so 
pre-eminent.  A  long  period  of  apathy  and  of  spiritual  de- 
generacy would  be  necessary  to  change  the  denominational 
complexion  in  Texas.  The  fundamental  reason  of  this  goes 
back  to  the  foundation  builders  of  our  cause  in  the  initial 
stages  of  our  history. 

Heretofore  we  have  been  more  concerned  with  local 
details  than  we  can  hereafter  be.  For  a  period  of  years  the 
work  was  fractional.  These  small  beginnings,  finding  ex- 
pression here  and  there  over  a  vast  area  of  country,  were 
important.  They  were  the  fountain  sources,  the  rills  of 
which  were  slowly  converging  toward  a  great  central  cur- 
rent. The  wise  manipulation  of  these  primal  sources  was 
the  work  of  the  pioneer  preacher  in  these  Texas  wilds.  For- 
tunately there  was  wise  concert  of  action  on  the  part  of  these 
master  builders.  The  history  of  Christianity  afifords  no 
wiser  men  than  those  who  wrought  first  in  this  tremendous 
undertaking.  They  are  worthy  of  such  a  record  as  that 
which  embodies  the  immortals  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of 
Hebrews.  Nor  are  those  whose  names  have  already  ap- 
peared conspicuously  in  these  pages,  a  whit  more  worthy 
than  are  those  of  unnamed  hundreds  who  moved  in  the  pri- 
vate and  unofficial  walks  of  life.  There  were  consecrated 
laymen  not  a  few,  and  women  as  noble  as  those  whose  names 
are  radiant  on  the  inspired  page.  In  regions  obscure  and 
far  removed  from  the  gaze  of  the  world,  men  and  women 
prayed  and  labored  unknown,  save  to  God.  The  names  of 
thousands  of  such  are  unknown  to.  us,  but  their  names  are 
in  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life. 

The  year  1849  was  one  of  material  disaster  throughout 
the  South.  It  came  with  crushing  force  on  the  people  of 
Texas.  A  heavy  frost  fell  on  the  night  of  April  16,  and 
the  growing  crops  were  laid  low.  In  the  southwestern  part 
of  Texas  corn  was  killed  in  the  tassel ;  cotton  with  half- 
formed  bolls  was  entirely  destroyed,  and  the  growing  crops 
of  sugar-cane  severely  injured.  To  add  to  a  disaster  so 
overwhelming,  this  was  followed  by  a  long  drought,  which 
prevented  the  people,  even  at  this  late  season,  from  planting 


A-JS     EVENTFUL    PEKIOD  S7 

again.  This  created  a  general  stampede.  Many  abandoned 
their  homes  and  lands,  and  went  to  California  to  engage  in 
gold  digging.  Others  sold  their  lands  at  any  price  they 
could  get,  and  returned  to  the  old  states. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  say  what  a  stunning  effect  this 
disaster  had  on  the  struggling  cause  in  Texas.  When  the 
state  convention  met  on  May  ii  it  was  slimly  attended, 
due,  in  part,  to  the  disastrous  freeze  in  April,  and,  in  part,  to 
the  rumor  that  the  Asiatic  cholera  was  raging  in  Houston. 
Neither  the  preacher  appointed  to  deliver  the  convention 
sermon  nor  his  alternate  was  present,  nor  was  the  president 
of  the  convention.  Only  twelve  churches  were  represented, 
making  a  total  membership  of  the  convention  just  twenty- 
three.  But  little  was  done  at  this  session.  A  collection  of 
$15.15  was  taken  for  educational  purposes  and  $11.90  for 
foreign  missions.  The  convention  declined  to  consider  fur- 
ther the  publication  of  a  denominational  paper,  and  recom- 
mended the  Soiithzvcsfcrii  Chronicle  at  New  Orleans,  as 
the  most  appropriate  medium  of  communication.  The  cor- 
responding secretary  reported  that  the  Baptist  ministry  of 
the  state  numbered  at  that  time  twenty-nine,  of  whom  twenty 
were  regular  pastors.  Two  general  missionaries  were  to 
be  provided  for  to  labor,  the  one  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
state,  and  the  other  in  the  western,  so  soon  as  conditions 
favored.  The  convention  adjourned  to  meet  the  following 
year  at  Huntsville. 

Two  associations — the  Elm  Fork  and  the  Eastern  Texas 
• — were  organized  during  the  year  1849.  The  territory  of 
the  former  of  these  embraced  portions  of  Dallas  and  Den- 
ton counties  and  the  large  counties  of  Kaufman  and  Collin. 
By  the  organization  of  the  Eastern  Texas  Association  a 
blow  was  given  to  the  opposing  elements  to  missions,  from 
which  these  opponents  never  recovered.  At  this  time  there 
were  six  district  associations  in  Texas  and  seventy-five 
churches,  with  a  total  membership  of  2,000.  The  progress 
seems  slow,  but  the  work  was  permanent,  and  gave  an 
earnest  of  better  things. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

HARMONIOUS   ACTIVITY. 

"The  secret  of  success  is  constancy  to  purpose."  So 
says  DTsraeli,  and  so  were  the  Baptists  actuated  in  the 
beginning  of  1850.  They  had  met  sore  disasters,  but  were 
ready  for  others  if  need  be,  only  that  their  uUimate  pur- 
poses might  succeed. 

Emerging  from  the  gloom  of  the  preceding  year,  they 
set  their  faces  steadfastly  toward  the  future,  with  more 
determined  and  prayerful  resolution  than  ever  before.  That 
which  had  been  done  was  only  an  earnest  of  that  which 
could  be  accomplished  in  the  name  of  the  Master.  The 
year  1850  was  one  of  quiet,  steady  and  harmonious  effort. 
Sufficient  general  organizations  had  been  effected  for  the 
churches,  each,  to  find  a  place  as  a  constituent  member  of 
an  existing  association,  hence  no  efifort  was  made  to  create 
a  new  association  during  the  year.  However,  the  year  was 
signalized  by  other  events  of  denominational  importance, 
^lost  of  the  attention  was  now  being  directed  toward  Bay- 
lor University,  which  was  still  in  the  toils  of  harassing 
embarrassment,  because  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  means  to 
prosecute  the  work.  That  it  should  be  accomplishing  so 
much  under  the  prevailing  stress  of  conditions  was  wonder- 
ful, but  it  was  hampered  and  hindered  at  every  point  of 
progress.  Every  possible  plan  was  conceived  for  providing 
the  necessary  means,  but  still  the  college  hobbled. 

In  June,  1850,  President  Graves  was  elected  for  a  term 
of  two  additional  years,  and  Mr.  Huckins  was  continued  as 
general  agent  for  the  school.  A  system  of  scholarships 
was  devised  with  the  hope  of  receiving  sufficient  revenue  to 
enable  the  school  to  be  conducted  without  embarrassment. 
The  scholarships  were  offered  for  sale  and  were  designated 
as  follows  ;     Permanent  scholarships  at  $500 :  family  schol- 


HAEMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  89 

arships  at  $ioo;  church  scholarships,  $200;  individual 
scholarships  from  $100  to  $150,  and  charity  scholarships, 
$50.  It  was  resolved  to  enlist  the  largest  gifts  of  the 
denomination  in  raising  the  sum  of  $10,000  or  more,  toward 
the  endowment  of  the  chair  of  the  president.  In  order  to 
raise  so  stupendous  an  amount  six  agents  were  placed  in  the 
field — President  Graves,  J.  W,  D.  Creath,  J.  H.  Stribling, 
R;  C.  Burleson,  G.  W.  Baines  and  R.  H.  Taliaferro.  It 
was  a  fortunate  acquisition  to  the  ministerial  ranks  of  the 
Baptists  of  Texas,  when  Rev.  G.  W.  Baines  removed  from 
Louisiana  to  this  state.  Born  in  North  Carolina,  his  parents 
removed  first  to  Georgia,  then  to  Alabama,  when  George 
was  not  more  than  eight  or  nine  years  old.  By  his  own 
unaided  efforts  he  succeeded  in  graduating  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Alabama  with  the  high  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 
His  conversion  followed  his  graduation,  and  occurred  while 
he  was  teaching  a  country  school  in  Alabama.  Ordained  to 
the  ministry,  he  went  first  to  Arkansas,  then  to  Louisiana, 
and  finally  came  to  Texas.  For  a  period  of  thirty-two  years 
his  name  is  found  in  an  unbroken  series  of  the  minutes  of 
the  Baptist  State  Convention  of  Texas.  Such  was  his 
prominence,  that  his  name  and  the  records  of  his  deeds  will 
appear  many  times  hereafter  in  these  pages. 

The  third  annual  session  of  the  state  convention  was 
held  in  1850  at  Huntsville.  Only  fourteen  churches  sent 
representatives  to  the  meeting.  The  usual  reports  con- 
taining a  summary  of  the  year's  work  were  read  and  gave 
indication  of  steady  progress.  Two  general  missionaries, 
Byars  and  Chandler,  had  been  employed  during  the  year, 
one  on  the  extreme  eastern  boundary  and  the  other  on  the 
western.  The  report  on  education  shows  that  seventy  stu- 
dents were  in  attendance  on  the  departments  of  the  two 
sexes  at  Baylor  University,  together  with  two  ministerial 
students.  The  collections  for  all  purposes  for  the  year 
aggregated  $377-8o. 

The  year  1851  came  with  many  important  changes. 
There  was  a  revival  of  activity  in  all  denominational 
spheres.  Missionary  work  was  more  vigorously  prosecuted, 
and  as  a  consequence  new  churches  were  organized.  Rein- 
forcements, alike  to  the  ranks  of  the  churches  and  of.  the 


y(j  HISTORY    01'    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

ministry,  were  constantly  had  from  other  states.  Among 
those  who  had  recently  come  as  ministerial  acquisitions  were 
Revs.  Jonas  Johnston,  from  South  Carolina,  and  Thomas 
Chilton,  from  Alabama.  Among  the  churches  organized 
this  year  was  that  of  the  First  Church  of  Waco.  Rev. 
N.  T.  Byars  had  been  sent  as. a  missionary  to  what  was 
known  as  "The  Waco  country,"  in  1850,  and 'finding  the 
frontier  village  of  Waco  without  a  Baptist  church,  resolved 
to  plant  one  there.  He  could  find  only  four  Baptists  in  the 
straggling  frontier  village,  and  with  these  he  constituted  the 
First  Church  on  May  31,  1851.  The  four  original  members 
were  James  C.  Johnson,  George  T.  Holman,  Noah  Wood 
and  Matilda  Johnson.  The  church  was  organized  in  a  small 
board  shanty  near  the  present  intersection  of  Jackson  and 
Second  streets.  Rev.  N.  T.  Byars  was  chosen  the  first  pas- 
tor, which  position  he  held  for  two  years,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  S.  G.  O'Bryan.  W'orship  was  continued  in 
this  rude  shanty  till  1857. 

During  the  year  1851  a  most  important  change  took 
place  at  Baylor  University.  The  crippled  condition  of 
the  institution  had  greatly  discouraged  some  of  its  most 
ardent  friends,  among  which  was  the  faculty  of  the 
school.  The  conviction  had  for  some  time  been  grow- 
ing that  the  establishment  of  the  school  was  prema- 
ture and  that  it  was  doomed  to  failure.  It  was  urged 
that  it  had  been  demonstrated  that  society  in  Texas  was 
too  crude,  and  the  people  too  much  engrossed  in  bringing 
into  subjection  the  natural  barriers  of  a  border  state,  in 
order  to  a  prosperous  beginning,  to  maintain  a  school  of 
such  pretentions  as  Baylor  University.  The  history  of  the 
institution  for  the  last  five  or  six  years  would  seem  to  jus- 
tify such  a  conclusion.  It  had  been  a  period  of  sore  wres- 
tling, wdth  no  visible  signs  of  subsequent  relief.  Sacrifice 
had  been  added  to  sacrifice,  and  plan  had  succeeded  plan,  in 
the  efifort  to  maintain  the  institution  until  the  utmost  limit 
seemed  to  be  reached.  Consequently,  at  the  commencement 
in  June.  1851,  the  president  and  faculty  of  Baylor  Univer- 
sity resigned,  and  the  trustees,  though  duly  warned  of  such 
a  crisis,  were  perplexed  above  measure  by  the  dire  extremity 
in  which  thev  found  themselves.     It  was  believed  bv  manv 


HAEMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  91 

that  the  school  was  on  the  brink  of  destruction,  and  in  this 
conviction  the  faculty  shared.  Efforts  were  made  to  induce 
Doctor  Graves  to  reconsider  his  resignation  and  to  make 
an  effort  to  weather  the  storm,  but  he  was  immovable.  He 
believed  that  the  school  was  gone. 

At  this  juncture  Judge  Abner  S.  Lipscomb,  who  had 
been  impressed  by  the  versatility  of  the  young  pastor  at 
Houston,  Rev.  R.  C.  Burleson,  presented  his  name  to  the 
Board  of  Trustees  as  the  successor  of  Doctor  Graves.  Mr. 
Burleson  accepted  the  position  under  certain  stipulations 
named  by  himself.  At  that  time  he  was  only  twenty-seven 
years  old.  He  was  possessed  of  a  striking  personality,  being 
tall  and  erect,  handsome,  with  a  shock  of  raven  hair  and 
black,  piercing  eyes.  He  was  ardent  in  enthusiasm,  quick 
in  action  and  determined  in  resolve.  To  a  marked  degree 
he  had  one  essential  element  of  a  successful  college  presi- 
dent— fertility  of  resource.  In  the  function  just  assumed, 
he  would  find  the  amplest  field  for  the  expenditure  of  that 
quality.  The  condition  of  the  school  was  critical,  and  its 
down-grade  movement  must  be  promptly  arrested. 

The  rumor  went  abroad  that  the  school  was  given  up 
because  of  the  withdrawal  of  the  former  president  and 
faculty,  and  it  spread  throughout  the  Baptist  constituency. 
Every  means  was  employed  to  contradict  this  report,  and  to 
counteract  other  agencies  which  were  making  against  the 
institution  at  this  time.  Giving  up  his  Houston  pastorate, 
Mr.  Burleson  removed  at  once  to  Independence,  and  began 
to  set  things  in  order.  He  personally  superintended  the 
necessary  changes  to  be  made  in  the  growing  buildings, 
which  changes  had  been  ordered  by  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
and  sent  out  circulars  over  the  state,  offering  inducements 
to  students  to  attend  the  school.  The  tardy,  weekly  transit 
of  the  mails  was  too  uncertain  for  his  purposes,  and  he 
engaged  private  carriers  to  visit,  on  horseback,  the  different 
regions  in  which  the  population  was,  to  correct  the  errone- 
ous impression,  and  to  stimulate  confidence.  None  could 
have  done  more  nor  could  it  have  been  better  done. 

To  succeed  Mr.  Burleson  at  Houston,  Rev.  Thomas  Chil- 
ton, of  Greensboro,  Alabama,  was  called.  He  was  a  man 
of  varied  learning,  of  large  experience  in  different  spheres. 


REV.  GEORGE  W.  TRUETT,  D.  D.,  DALLAS,  TEXAS. 


HARMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  yy 

and  a  preacher  of  exceptional  power.  He  had,  before  his 
removal '  to  Alabama,  represented  Kentucky  in  congress. 
His  first  sermon  at  Houston  was  greeted  by  such  a  popular 
demonstration  that  he  found  difficulty  in  seating  the  crowds 
which  thronged  on  his  preaching.  Large  accessions  were 
gained  to  the  church,  but  it  seems  that  the  acquisitions  were 
more  numerous  than  substantial.  The  church  grew  in  num- 
bers, but  not  in  efficiency,  a  fact  not  due  to  pastoral  inca- 
pacity, but  to  certain  discordant  elements.  While  Chilton 
was  winning  the  multitudes  to  hear  him  at  Houston,  the 
brilliant  Taliaferro  was  doing  the  same  at  Galveston.  He 
had  been  called  to  succeed  Professor  Hillyer,  and  with  his 
rare  pulpit  power,  supported  by  genuine  wisdom,  adminis- 
trative qualities  and  personal  piety,  was  bringing  things  to 
pass  on  the  gulf.  Contemporaneous  with  these  was  the  pas- 
torate of  George  W.  Baines,  at  Huntsville.  He  was  a  man 
of  uncommon  parts,  both  of  intellect  and  of  heart,  the  influ- 
ence of  whom  was  not  restricted  to  his  own  membership, 
but  was  forcibly  felt  throughout  the  adjacent  region. 
Indeed,  throughout  the  state  the  pulpits  were  ably  filled,  and 
the  missionaries  were  accomplishing  wonders  in  the  waste 
places.  JMeanwhile,  Baylor  University  had  opened  its  ses- 
sion under  the  new  administration,  and  the  attendance  was 
such  as  to  prove  its  continued  vitality  and  its  right  to  live 
— even  in  Texas,  a  land  supposed  eastward  to  be  one  of  a 
social  compound,  and  therefore  inconsistent  with  the  main- 
tenance of  a  school  of  higher  learning. 

It  is  fitting  here  to  allude  to  the  death  of  General 
Edward  Burleson,  who  during  the  last  twelve  years  of  his 
life,  was  an  humble  member  of  a  Baptist  church.  He  de- 
serves to  be  ranked  in  the  foremost  file  of  the  early  defend- 
ers of  Texas  freedom.  He  was  a  born  soldier,  being  the 
son  of  a  captain,  under  Jackson,  in  the  Greek  war.  •  His 
qualities  of  soldiership  peculiarly  fitted  him  for  border  war- 
fare, and  his  courage  and  intrepidity  won  for  him  the 
station  of  leadership  which  he  so  worthily  filled.  In  their 
familiar  fondness  for  him,  his  troops  called  him  "Ed.  Burle- 
son," and  their  confidence  in  his  valor  was  supreme.  In 
warfare  he  was  eager  and  dashing,  but  not  a  hotspur.  Both 
in  the  ranks  of  the  army  and  in  the  private  walks  of  life,  the 


94  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

people  honored  him.  As  vice  president  of  the  RepubHc,  he 
was  as  useful  as  he  had  been  on  the  field  of  battle.  Devoid 
of  petty  qualities  that  mar  genuine  manhood,  he  aspired 
only  to  usefulness.  Deprived  of  scholastic  advantages, 
.  nature  had  largely  atoned  for  this  deficiency  by  gifts  of 
judgment  and  prudence,  which  found  full  exercise  in  the 
developed  needs  of  a  new.^and  struggling  government,  as 
it  gradually  attained  to  its  full  stature.  To  the  courage  of 
the  lion,  in  the  character  of  General  Burleson,  was  added  a 
gentle  afifableness  without  the  weakness  of  effeminacy. 

Religious  activity  continued  throughout  the  state  with 
increasing  cheer.  New  churches  were  being  constituted, 
among  which,  at  this  time,  was  that  at  Seguin.  That  church 
was  organized  on  December  28,  1851,  by  J.  A.  Kimball  and 
T.  J.  Powell.  Its  original  membership  embraced  but  two — 
A.  Swift  and  A.  J.  Martin.  In  the  following  March  the 
church  received  two  other  members,  and  called  J.  A.  Kimball 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  church.  Kimball  had  but  recently 
come  to  Texas  from  the  east.  He  was  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  was  the  son  of  Congregational  parents. 
Personal  investigation  led  him  to  become  a  Baptist,  and  he 
had  to  go  many  miles  from  his  home  to  find  a  Baptist 
church  in  order  to  join  and  be  baptized.  He  was  educated 
at  the  famous  Worcester  Academy,  and  was  a  scholar  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability.  Premonitory  symptoms  of 
consumption  led  him  westward,  first  to  Ohio,  then  to  Ten- 
nessee, later  to  Mississippi,  and  finally  to  Texas.  Though 
first  a  lawyer,  then  a  teacher,  he  at  last  became  a  minister 
of  the  gospel.  He  wielded  a  facile  pen,  with  which  he 
enriched  and  ornamented  the  periodicals  of  the  time,  and  his 
productions  were  deservedly  popular.  The  young  New 
Englander  with  his  polish  of  learning,  and  of  manners,  was 
charmed  by  the  novel  conditions  of  pioneer  life,  which  he 
found  prevailing  in  the  region  of  Old  Caney.  Without 
effort,  but  with  humorous  relish,  he  readily  adjusted  himself 
to  the  rough  and  tumble  conditions  of  frontier  experiences, 
and  rapidly  won  the  hearts  of  the  people.  His  reminiscences 
of  those  early  days  in  Texas  are  pervaded  by  a  quaint  hu- 
mor, which  bespeaks  the  marvelous  adaptability  and  inherent 
character  of  the  man.    He  founded  manv  churches  in  south- 


HAEMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  05 

ern  Texas,  and  was  a  practical  and  zealous  missionary. 
Near  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War  he  became  the  editor 
of  the  Texas  Baptist.  He  finally  removed  to  Louisiana. 
The  heroic  and  oftentimes  voluntary  work  done  by  the  Bap- 
tist ministry  of  that  time,  was  bringing  into  harmonious 
conjunction  the  growing  communities  of  the  state.  If  bar- 
riers lay  in  the  path  of  the  missionary,  he  had  the  courage 
and  the  grace  to  meet  them.  Perils  and  hardships  did  not 
prevent  the  missionary  from  penetrating  any  region,  or 
traversing  any  tract  of  country  in  the  prosecution  of  his 
work.  Harmonious  union  was  preserved  between  the  pas- 
tors and  the  missionaries  as  they  jointly  worked  in  the  ex- 
pansion of  the  unreached  regions  of  Texas. 

The  Baptist  State  Convention,  which  met  at  Independ- 
ence, in  1 85 1,  was  a  large,  enthusiastic  and  influential  gath- 
ering. Representatives  from  twenty-nine  churches  assem- 
bled at  that  time,  in  the  new  college  building,  on  the  campus 
of  Baylor  University.  The  spirit  of  the  body  was  excellent, 
but  there  was  one  spot  in  the  feast — the  crippled  condition 
of  the  college.  With  the  exhaustion  of  all  plans,  and  the 
equal  exhaustion  of  all  resources,  the  situation  was  a  puz- 
zling one.  The  Board  of  Trustees  appealed  to  the  conven- 
tion for  aid,  and  the  convention  responded  by  an  expression 
of  confidence  in  the  ability  of  the  Board  to  extricate  the 
university  from  its  extremity,  all  of  which  found  its  final 
result  in  reliance  on  President  Burleson  to  be  able  to  grap- 
ple with  the  situation.  The  reports  of  missionary  labors 
made  to  the  body,  were  of  the  most  stimulating  character. 
A  new  sphere  of  Christian  work  had  been  opened  by  Dea- 
con T.  J.  Pilgrim,  who  had  been  appointed  the  Sunday- 
school  secretary  of  the  convention.  He  reported  the  organ- 
ization of  twenty-two  Sunday-schools  in  the  Colorado  Asso- 
ciation alone,  with  an  aggregate  membership  of  one  thou- 
sand, and  with  six  thousand  volumes  in  their  libraries,  ex- 
clusive of  Bibles.  Set  over  against  this,  was  the  report  of 
three  counties,  in  which  there  were  Baptist  churches,  but 
not  a  Sunday-school  in  any  of  the  three  counties.  The 
distribution  of  religious  literature  had  often  claimed  the 
attention  of  the  convention,  but  the  lack  of  facilities  pre- 
vented the  adoption  of  a  practical  course.     The  proposal 


96  IllSTOEY    Oi<'    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

was  transmitted  to  the  convention  from  the  Virginia  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,  to  give  $500  worth  of  Bibles  for 
distribution  in  Texas,  provided  that  the  supplementary 
amount  of  $150  be  given  by  the  Texas  Baptist  Convention, 
but  the  inability  to  raise  the  amount  in  the  convention  led 
to  the  failure  of  the  undertaking.  Missionary  work  among 
the  slaves  on  the  plantations  of  Wharton,  Matagorda  and 
Brazoria  counties,  by  Noah  Hill,  produced  a  profound  im- 
pression on  the  convention.  The  urgent  calls  for  aid  from 
such  points  as  Austin  and  Brownsville,  which  were  most 
inviting  mission  fields,  occasioned  no  little  embarrassment 
in  the  light  of  the  straitened  condition  of  the  treasury  of 
the  body.  The  result  of  the  collections  for  the  year 
amounted  to  $823.67. 

In  December,  1851,  the  Cherokee  Association  was  organ- 
ized at  Mt.  Zion  church,  in  Smith  county.  Only  three 
churches  entered  into  the  organization — Mt.  Zion,  Harris 
Creek  and  Sharon.  The  Association  rapidly  grew,  however, 
till  it  came  to  embrace  within  its  territory  the  counties  of 
Rusk,  Smith,  Wood  and  Van  Zandt.  The  following  year, 
1852,  was  marked  by  more  beneficent  results  to  the  Baptist 
.:ause.  Every  interest  was  taking  on  a  brighter  hue.  Con- 
fidence in  the  ultimate  success  of  Baylor  University  was 
growing,  by  reason  of  the  practical  methods  of  the  new 
administration,  and  no  less  because  of  the  enthusiastic  con- 
fidence of  the  young  president.  Mr.  Huckins  was  regularly 
employed  on  the  field,  as  the  financial  agent  of  the  school, 
and  was  untiring  in  his  efiforts  to  raise  funds  for  the  strug- 
gling institution.  The  attendance  of  the  first  year  of  the 
new  administration  was  such  as  to  give  assurance  to  ]\'Ir. 
Burleson  that  he  would  ultimately  succeed.  He  was  for- 
tunate in  finding  so  congenial  a  co-worker  in  ^Ir.  Huckins. 
While  funds  came  slowly  in  response  to  the  unremitting 
efforts  of  Huckins,  he  and  Burleson  were  able  to  keep  the 
college  out  of  the  shallows.  The  financial  agent  rendered 
a  double  service :  while  he  collected  money  for  the  school, 
he  broadly  advertised  it. 

To  focus  Baptist  sentiment  on  the  two  great  interests  of 
the  State  Convention  and  Baylor  University  was  the  unani- 
mous effort  of  every  pastor  and  mis'^ionary.  nf  the  president 


HARMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  97 

of  the  university,  and  the  financial  agent.  There  was  not  lack- 
ing more  or  less  murmuring  in  certain  quarters  of  the  state, 
because  of  the  inability  of  the  State  Board  to  provide  mis- 
sionaries for  the  sections  in  need.  Just  this  question  con- 
fronted the  State  Convention  when  it  held  its  annual  session 
at  Marshall,  in  1852.  That  the  radiating  centers  were  of 
prime  importance,  there  could  be  no  doubt,  but  experience 
was  necessary  to  the  dictation  of  a  less  restrictive  policy. 
The  meeting  of  the  convention  so  far  to  one  side  of  the  state, 
failed  of  so  large  an  attendance  as  was  had  the  year  before. 
Many  had  ridden  more  than  a  hundred  miles  on  horseback 
or  in  stage  coaches  to  attend  the  annual  session  of  the  con- 
vention. Here  was  established,  for  the  first  time,  fraternal 
relationship  between  the  Texas  Baptist  Convention  and 
other  bodies  from  without  the  state.  Corresponding  mes- 
sengers were  present  at  Marshall  from  the  conventions  both 
of  Louisiana  and  Mississippi.  This  led  to  the  appointment, 
on  the  part  of  the  Texas  convention,  of  fraternal  messengers 
to  the  two  bodies  already  named,  as  well  as  to  the  Arkansas 
convention  and  the  Southern  convention. 

While  the  reports  from  the  different  quarters  of  the  field 
were  encouraging,  the  convention  found  itself  freshly  embar- 
rassed to  meet  the  demands  which  came  from  new  portions 
of  the  state,  which  had  become  populated  within  the  last 
year.  The  convention  was  not  able  to  keep  pace  with  the 
growth  of  population.  The  scarcity  of  ministers  was  a  sub- 
ject of  general  regret  and  of  no  small  amount  of  perplexity. 
To  overcome  this  deficiency,  pastors  were  seeking  as  far 
as  practicable  to  cultivate  fields  which  were  adjacent  to 
their  own,  but  this  was  only  a  makeshift,  and  did  not  meet 
the  prevailing  necessity.  Large  and  important  fields  were 
left  untouched.  San  Antonio,  with  a  population  of  six 
thousand,  was  without  a  Baptist  preacher,  so  were  Seguin, 
with  a  population  of  fifteen  hundred,  and  Bastrop,  with  a 
population  of  one  thousand.  These  were  important  and 
growing  centers,  with  no  other  preaching  than  that  which 
was  afforded  by  the  occasional  visit  of  a  missionary.  The 
immense  region  lying  between  the  Brazos  and  Colorado 
rivers  was  rapidly  filling  with  an  industrious  population, 
and  villages  and  towns  were  springing  up,  and  the  region 


98  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

was  one  of  great  invitation,  but  there  were  not  men  to  be 
had  to  supply  the  wants.  In  all  that  expansive  region  there 
was  not  a  single  Baptist  preacher.  The  occasional  death  of 
a  preacher  left  a  gap  which  could  not  be  filled.  By  the 
recent  death  of  Pastor  Mays,  the  two  counties  of  Limestone 
and  Freestone  were  left  without  a  liaptist  preacher. 
Churches  had  been  organized  by  this  indoniitalile  worker, 
but  when  he  fell,  they  were  left  without  a  shepherd.  To  all 
this  were  added  appeals  from  both  the  northern  and  south- 
ern extremities  of  the  state.  Skirting  the  Red  river  for  a 
considerable  distance,  were  populous  counties,  where  the 
people  were  massing,  but  there  was  no  visible  possibility 
of  reaching  them,  because  men  could  not  be  had.  Some  of 
the  residents  of  these  counties  on  the  Red  river,  had  been 
there  since  1816,  and  yet  in  some  quarters,  Baptist  preaching 
had  never  been  heard.  Before  another  year,  other  settle- 
ments w^ould  be  formed  in  other  quarters  of  the  state,  and 
there  were  no  other  supplies  to  be  had.  Every  Baptist 
preacher  was  as  active  as  could  be,  and  the  demand  far 
outran  the  supply.  After  long  years  of  straining  efifort,  this 
was  the  situation  which  confronted  the  convention  which 
was  gathered  at  Marshall.  The  situation  was  one  of  posi- 
tive oppression.  It  was  a  sore  and  serious  problem,  and 
men  of  less  nerve  would  have  been  staggered  by  the  tre- 
mendousness  of  the  situation,  but  these  men  turned  to-  God 
in  prayer.  The  burden  of  the  prayers  of  the  ■Marshall  con- 
vention, was  for  more  laborers  in  the  vineyard.  Yet  they 
had  the  consciousness  of  having  done  their  best.  During 
the  past  year,  thousands  of  miles  had  been  traveled  on  horse- 
back or  afoot,  thousands  of  sermons  had  been  preached, 
scores  had  been  baptized,  and  churches  and  Sunday-schools 
had  been  constituted.  All  this  was  being  done  at  great 
personal  sacrifice.  The  chief  of  the  missionaries  at  that 
time  was  Creath,  and  he  was  one  of  the  most  effective 
preachers  in  the  state,  and  yet  he  w^as  paid  only  $400  for 
his  services.  This  exceeded  the  salary  of  any  other  of  the 
many  who  were  engaged  in  missionary  work.  On  the 
slenderest  stipen-ds  men  were  doing  a  prodigious  work. 

One  of  the  chief  topics  of  discussion  before  the  conven- 
tion was  that  of  the  eff'orts  to  Christianize  the  African  slaves 


HARMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  99 

on  the  plantatfons.  This  subject  was  gaining  increased 
momentum  every  year.  The  special  missionary  to  the 
negroes,  was  Rev.  Noah  Hill  who  was  responded  to  with 
tears  of  sympathy,  when  he  told  in  pathetic  tones  of  the 
eagerness  with  which  the  slaves  would  throng  on  his  preach- 
ing, and  of  the  joy  experienced  by  him  in  seeing,  so  many 
saved.  There  was  a  tone  of  consecrated  judgment  ex- 
pressed in  the  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  when 
that  board,  after  indicating  the  prevailing  destitution,  took 
occasion  to  add  that  no  man  of  ordinary  ability  would  be 
able  to  cope  with  the  complicated  situation  in  any  part  of 
the  state.  The  board  regarded  it  as  folly  to  undertake  to 
meet  the  clamorous  demand  for  men,  by  sending  other  than 
those  of  wisdom,  as  well  as  of  pulpit  ability.  Even  at  that 
early  day,  Texas  Baptists  were  disposed  to  label  men  in 
proportion  to  their  intrinsic  worth. 

The  report  borne  from  Baylor  University  gave  fresh 
hope  and  courage.  The  order  was  reported  good,  the  work 
most  satisfactory,  an  excellent  faculty  was  in  control,  and 
the  $10,000  with  which  to  endow  the  chair  of  the  president, 
was  almost  all  raised,  and  during  the  session,  165  students 
liad  been  enrolled. 

At  this  session  of  the  convention  was  raised  a  question, 
apparently  local  and  insignificant,  and  yet  it  was  one  that 
was  prolific  of  troubles  that  ran  through  almost  thirty-five 
years.  Like  a  stone  rolling  down  the  mountain  side,  it 
gathered  fresh  momentum  at  each  bound,  and  wrought 
havoc  in  its  wake.  This  was,  of  course,  unforeseen,  but  it. 
was  the  rill  that  led  to  a  sea  of  storm  and  trouble,  and  one 
which,  in  its  most  turbulent  periods,  seemed  to  threaten  the 
existence  of  the  denomination  in  Texas. 

The  church  at  Tyler  proposed  to  the  convention  to  estab- 
lish a  school  for  girls  in  that  town.  The  bare  suggestion 
of  another  school  enterprise  brought  a  shudder  to  the  brav- 
est heart.  With  the  accumulated  energy  and  efifort  of  the 
denomination  at  Independence  to  save  Baylor  University 
from  wreck,  and  with  that  institution  just  emerging  from 
the  waves  which  threatened  to  swamp  it.  and  with  the 
clamor  for  missionaries  and  means  to  push  the  gospel  in 
quarters  in  dire  need,  it  was  thought  most  untimely  to  sug- 


KEV.  JAMES  B.  CRANFILL,  DALLAS,  TEXAS. 

(Born  Parker  Co.,  Texas,  Sept.  12.  1858:  converted  July,  1§76 : 
ordained,  Jan.,  1890;  married  to  Miss  Ollie  Allen.  Sept.  1,  1878;  taught 
school  1877-78:  practiced  medicine  1879-83;  established  Gatesville  Ad- 
vance 1882 ;  editor  Waco  Advance  1886-88 :  Financial  Secretary  Baylor 
Univ.  1888-89;  Supt.  of  Texas  Bapiist  Mission  work  1889-92:  with 
M.  V.  Smith  established  The  Baptist  Standard.  1892  :  Prohibition  nominee 
for  Vice-President  1892:  editor  The  Baptist  Standard  3  892  1904;  elitor 
The  Baptist  Tribune  1905-07 :  publisher  "Carroll's  Sermons,"  1895 ; 
author  "Words  of  Comfort,  or  Sunday  Morning  Thoughts,"  1899  ;  author 
"Cranflll's  Heart  Talks,"  1906.) 


HARMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  lOJ 

gest  the  founding  of  another  school.  Could  an  auxiliary 
school  have  been  established  at  Tyler  at  that  time,  it  would 
have  been  most  helpful,  but  to  repudiate  the  application 
outright,  was  productive  of  harvests  of  trouble.  With  a 
show  of  courteous  diplomacy  couched  in  the  refusal  to 
entertain  the  suggestion  which  came  from  Tyler,  the  con- 
vention said:  "As  we  deem  it  incompatible  with  the  con- 
stitutional province  and  design  of  this  convention  to  solicit 
and  raise  funds  for  the  establishment  of  any  literary  insti- 
tution, our  educational  efforts  extending  only  to  the  aid  of 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  as  we  have  under  our  patron- 
age the  Baylor  University,  designed  especially  for  this  pur- 
pose, we  cannot  consistently  promise  aid  to  any  other  insti- 
tution nor  extend  to  such  a  fostering  or  controlling  influence. 
We  would  therefore  recommend  the  proposed  institution  to 
the  patronage  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Tyler,  and  the  edu- 
cational boards  of  those  associations  that  may  think  proper 
to  favor,  and  engage  in  the  enterprise." 

There  was  an  evident  apprehension  lest  the  convention 
overreach  itself.  Yet  the  future  proved  that  the  convention 
grew  more  by  expansion  than  by  contraction.  The  policy 
of  the  denomination  a  half  century  later,  was  the  opposite 
of  that  voiced  by  the  convention  at  Marshall.  But  then 
time  brings  ripened  wisdom  and 

"Experience  joined  to  common  sense 
To  mortals  is  a  providence." 

The  results  of  a  mistaken  policy  at  this  point  led  to  the 
first  great  division  in  the  Baptist  ranks  of  Texas,  and  it  was 
a  breach  which  widened  with  time,  and  resulted  in  untold 
divisions  in  after  years.  The  question  was  sullenly  let  drop, 
only  to  rise  hydra-headed  in  the  future. 

The  necessity  of  beginning  a  denominational  paper  was 
again  emphasized.  Heretofore  it  was  dismissed  as  being 
out  of  the  question,  but  its  importance  was  again  brought 
forward,  and  a  resolution  looking  to  the  establishment  of 
a  denominational  organ  was  offered,  and  the  matter  was 
referred  to  an  appropriate  committee.  This  committee  was 
to  make  a  thorough  canvass  of  the  sentiment  of  the  denomi- 


10-,'  HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

nation  in  the  state,  concerning  the  feasibihty  of  such  a 
venture,  and  report  at  a  later  time. 

The  prospect  seemed  clearer  to  the  messengers  of  the 
convention  as  they  turned  homeward  from  the  Marshall 
convention.  The  work  along  all  lines  was  resumed  with 
unusual  vigor.  On  September  25,  following  the  adjourn- 
ment of  the  body,  a  strong  association,  the  Bethlehem,  was 
organized,  five  churches  entering  into  the  organization  of 
the  body.  These  churches,  Sardis,  Indian  Creek,  Zion, 
Providence  and  Bethel,  represented  the  Baptist  influence  in 
seven  large  and  flourishing  counties,  Jasper,  Newton, 
Orange,  Tyler,  Polk,  San  Augustine  and  Jefi^erson.  From 
the  outset,  the  Bethlehem  Association  was  a  vital  and  vigor- 
ous body.  Its  leading  spirit  was  Rev.  T.  L.  Vining,  who 
had  come  to  Texas  from  Florida,  in  1850.  He  was  nat- 
urally qualified  to  lead  in  the  progressive  work  in  a  new 
region  of  the  state,  which  was  being  rapidly  developed. 

\Mth  equal  vigor  was  the  work  pushed  in  the  western 
part  of  the  state.  Rev.  A.  W.  Elledge,  one  of  the  oddest 
of  characters,  and  yet  a  man  of  great  usefulness,  was  labor- 
ing with  much  zeal  and  effectiveness  on  the  western  border 
of  the  state.  Frank,  blunt,  fearless  and  naturally  disputa- 
tious, he  reveled  in  a  discussion  with  those  of  a  different 
faith  from  himself.  He  had  a  most  remarkable  memory, 
rarely  forgetting  anything  which  he  heard  or  read.  He 
had  possessed  himself  of  the  arguments  of  "Carson  on 
Baptism"  and  had  committed  to  memory  the  different  Greek 
terms  which  Carson  had  rendered  in  English,  and  Elledge 
would  quote  these  with  a  glibness  which  impressed  an 
unclassical  disputant  with  the  idea  that  he  was  more  than 
an  ordinary  Greek  scholar.  He  was  fond  of  exhibiting  his 
stores  of  learning,  and  was  not  averse  at  any  time  to  engage 
in  a  discussion.  On  a  wintry  day  he  stopped  at  a  farm- 
house to  warm.  He  was,  as  usual,  poorly  and  clumsily  clad, 
and  the  good  housewife  took  him  to  be  an  ordinary  farmer 
or  "drover."  In  the  current  of  conversation,  which  he 
precipitated  so  soon  as  he  was  seated,  he  ascertained  that 
the  housewife  was  an  ardent  iMethodist,  and  was  free  in 
the  expression  of  her  belief.  Among  other  things  which 
escaped  her  in  the  conversation,  was  the  fact  that  she  did 


HAEMONIOUS    ACTIVITY  103 

not  like  those  Baptists  who  had  lately  removed  to  the  com- 
munity, as  they  violated  the  Scripture  which  commanded 
baptism  "with  water/'  while  these  Baptists  insisted  on  bap- 
tizing "in  water."  She  did  not  know  that  she  had  an  Ajax 
in  disputation  beneath  her  roof,  and  one  who  delighted  in 
hearing  her  say  what  she  did.  Without  undertaking  to 
engage  her  in  debate  outright,  Elledge  asked  to  what  use 
she  devoted  that  dye-pot  in  the  corner.  She  innocently 
described  how  she  dyed  her  yarns,  specimens  of  which 
were  even  then  before  the  fire,  in  beautiful  blue  hanks.  She 
very  carefully  proceeded  to  enlighten  the  stranger  with  the 
process,  how  she  used  indigo  and  dipped  the  yarn  into  it 
three  different  times,  after  which  the  color  was  fixed  and 
permanent.  Mr.  Elledge  listened  with  the  closest  attention, 
and  when  she  was  through  he  remarked  that  that  was  the 
process  by  which  Baptists  were  made.  They  were  baptized 
zvith  water,  to  be  sure,  by  dipping  the  candidates  in  it,  and 
when  they  were  "sure  enough  Baptists,"  they  were  just  like 
the  dye  in  the  hanks,  the  grace  remained  in  them. 

On  another  occasion  he  was  attacked  by  a  Methodist 
minister  named  Fly,  and  sermons  were  controversially  ex- 
changed between  the  two.  Elledge  was  in  his  glory  in  dis- 
cussing the  subject  of  baptism  with  Fly,  for  here  he  was 
able  to  uncover  his  stock  of  Greek  lore.  Unable  to  meet 
Greek  with  Greek,  Fly  suggested  to  some  of  the  friends  of 
Elledge  that  he  would  have  Mr.  Boswell,  the  presiding 
elder,  respond  to  the  scholarly  arguments.  When  this  was 
told  to  Elledge  he  expressed  great  satisfaction,  for  said  he : 
"I  have  been  bothered  long  enough  wath  this  little  green 

fly-"  . 

Aside  from  his  oddities,  Elledge  was  an  exceedingly 
useful  man.  He  was  a  free  lance,  going  as  and  when  he 
pleased,  and  doing  as  suited  him.  Besides  being  deputa- 
tions, he  was  pugnacious.  While  not  morbidly  sensitive,  he 
never  let  an  opportunity  pass  for  resenting  if  violence,  if 
necessary,  any  attack  on  his  person  or  honor. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  PERIOD  OF  EXPANSION. 

By  this  time,  Texas  had  assumed  in  her  population  and 
in  her  institutions,  the  conditions  of  a  well  regulated  state. 
■  Her  affairs  were  wisely  administered,  and  society  had  set- 
tled to  a  normal  basis.  Phenomenal  as  had  been  the  growth 
of  the  population,  vast  leagues  of  her  desirable  territory 
were  still  untaken  by  the  immigrant,  and  her  leaders, 
including  her  progressive  governor  at  this  time,  Elisha  M. 
Pease,  were  desirous  of  increased  immigration.  Chief 
among  the  difficulties  experienced  by  the  state  was  that  of 
a  lack  of  railroads.  To  encourage  these,  the  legislature 
offered  the  astonishing  inducement  of  sixteen  sections  of 
land  for  every  mile  of  railway  laid,  provided  that  so  many 
as  twenty-five  miles  were  built  by  any  corporation,  before 
it  should  be  entitled  to  the  oft'er.  The  offer  went  even 
beyond  that — if  such  projectors  of  railways  should  lack 
capital,  it  was  proposed  by  the  state,  to  lend  such  on  favor- 
able terms.  So,  early  as  1848,  a  charter  had  been  granted 
to  the  Houston  &  Texas  Central  Railroad,  but  work  did 
not  begin  on  it  till  1853,  and  when  the  Civil  War  began, 
in  186 1,  the  work  had  not  extended  more  than  eighty  miles. 
In  1852  the  Buffalo  Bayou,  Brazos  &  Colorado  Railroad 
was  begun,  but  barely  made  a  fair  beginning  before  the  out- 
break of  the  war.  That  short  line  has  developed  into  what 
is  known  now  as  the  Southern  Pacific  system. 

Still,  the  state  w^as  prospering.  In  this  general  pros- 
perity the  Baptists,  of  course,  shared.  Times  were  steadily 
growing  more  easy,  and  money  was  becoming  more  abun- 
dant. Highways  of  travel  were  being  improved,  and  move- 
ment from  place  to  place  was  not  so  difficult.  Intervening 
areas  of  territory — wide  gaps  between  settlements — were 
being  gradually  occupied,  as  the  people  continued  to  come. 

104 


A    PEEIOD    OF    EXPANSIO^i  105 

not  only  from  the  states  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  north 
of  the  Ohio,  but  from  Europe,  as  well.  It  was  a  period  of 
intense  activity. 

As  a  result  of  the  improved  material  conditions  through- 
out the  state,  a  number  of  district  associations  were  enabled 
to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  general  evangelists,  by  the 
appointment  of  local  missionaries.  The  scarcity  of  minis- 
ters continued  to  be  a  serious  hindrance  to  the  progress  of 
the  denomination.  Twice  as  many  ministers  as  were  em- 
ployed by  the  denomination,  could  now  have  been  profitably 
engaged.  The  widening  reach  of  the  population  in  all 
directions,  and  a  massing  of  constant  accessions  of  immi- 
grants in  the  regions  already  peopled,  demanded  an  increased 
evangelistic  force  which  could  not  be  had.  Some  of  the 
old  veterans  who  had  been  at  the  front  of  the  column  since 
the  early  thirties,  were  now  falling  by  the  wayside.  While 
there  were  constant  accessions  to  the  ministerial  ranks  from 
other  states,  the  number  was  vastly  disproportionate  to  the 
multitudes,  whose  canopy-covered  wagons  streaked  the  rich 
plains,  as  they  moved  to  their  places  of  final  settlement.  In 
the  direction  of  denominational  affairs.  Baptists  were  fortu- 
nate in  the  possession  of  men  of  foresight.  They  never  lost 
an  opportunity  to  plant  a  church  in  a  prospective  center, 
and  thus  seize  every  possible  strategic  point.  Many  of  the 
strong  Baptist  churches  in  Texas  today  had  their  begin- 
nings in  the  prompt  action  of  far-seeing,  but  often  plain 
men,  who  rallied  the  initial  forces,  though  few  in  number, 
and  thus  secured  the  nucleus  of  a  church.  It  was  in  this 
way  that  the  people  called  Baptists  gradually  became  the 
formidable  folk  that  they  are,  with  a  destiny  in  Texas  that  it 
would  be  reckless  to  predict.  In  this  particular,  the  Baptists 
of  Texas,  in  laying  the  basis  of  denominational  strength, 
differed  materially  from  those  of  most  other  states.  In 
other  states  it  was  largely  true  that  the  Baptists  clung  first 
to  the  country  districts.  They  were  a  rural  folk.  Shady 
groves,  big  springs  and  clear  brooks  were  the  favorite 
accompaniments,  for  generations,  to  the  Baptists  of  other 
states.  They  seemed  reluctant  to  enter  the  strongholds  of 
population,  according  to  the  principles  of  New  Testament 
evangelism,  and  begin  with  the  rising  tide.     There  seemed 


106  IIISTORV    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

to  be  a  tacit  consent  to  leave  the. centers  to  others.  Hence 
it  was,  that  in  some  of  our  great  cities,  chmxhes  had  to  be 
begun  under  special  missionaries,  sustained  by  general 
boards.  Hence,  too,  we  find  ourselves  so  sadly  behind  other 
denominations  in  not  a  few  of  our  cities.  Unlike  all  this, 
the  Texas  Baptists  sought  to  be  the  first  to  lay  fast  hold  on 
the  keys  of  a  commanding  sittiation.  They  sought  to  cast 
the  leaven  of  their  influence  into  the  mass  and  rise  witli 
the  rising  tide.  May  this  not,  as  much  as  anything  else, 
account  for  the  phenomenal  strides  which  Texas  Baptists 
have  made  in  all  directions,  and  sometimes  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  other  denominations  in  other  states?  May  not  the 
fact  that  the  Baptist  forces  of  Texas  have  outstripped 
organizations  elsewhere, that  far  preceded  the  pioneer  efforts 
on  the  raw  plains  of  the  west,  be  attributable  to  the  sagacity 
of  missionaries  and  evangelists,  in  forecasting  the  promi- 
nence of  the  points  of  interest,  and  of  being  among  the  first 
of  gospel  agencies  on  the  ground  ?  That  they  did  this,  is  a 
bright  fact  in  the  denominational  history  of  the  state;  that 
others,  older  in  organization  and  with  opportunities  just  as 
great,  did  not,  is  shown  in  the  disparity  of  Baptist  strength 
in  a  number  of  our  Southern  cities. 

According  to  the  principle  just  mentioned,  the  church  at 
Bonham  was  constituted  in  November,  1852,  by  Rev.  J.  R. 
Briscoe,  with  a  membership  of  not  more  than  six.  The  year 
before,  Mr.  Briscoe  had  organized  the  New  Hope  church, 
four  miles  east  of  Bonham,  but  it  had  only  a  temporary 
existence.  Following  the  indications  with  a  sort  of  prophetic 
ken,  Briscoe  founded  the  church  at  Bonham  during  the  fol- 
lowing year.  In  this  connection  may  be  named  a  distin- 
guished minister,  who  afterward  became  pastor  of  the  Bon- 
ham church — Rev.  A.  E.  Clemmons.  First,  a  Methodist 
minister,  he  had  been  led  to  a  change  of  view  by  a  careful 
study  of  the  New  Testament,  and  in  1847,  came  to  the  Red 
River  country  of  Texas.  The  spiritual  destitution  of  that 
region  led  him  to  devote  much  of  his  time  to  voluntary 
work  of  his  own  accord,  and  in  association  with  the  daring 
missionary,  G.  W.  Pickett,  he  rendered  invaluable  service 
to  north  Texas.  Mr.  Clemmons  was  not  without  ample 
means,  as  he  owned  a  fertile  plantation  on  Red  river,  and 


A    PEEIOD    OF    EXPANSION  107 

there  was  no  stint  of  expenditure  in  assisting  to  establish 
the  cause  on  a  substantial  basis,  in  that  quarter.  He  was 
intimately  connected  with  the  spiritual  development  of  that 
region,  and  in  after  years,  was  engaged  in  educational  work- 
in  Louisiana,  assisting  materially  in  raising  the  funds  neces- 
sary for  establishing  the  school  at  Alt.  Lebanon,  in  that  state. 
Later  still,  he  was  pastor  at  Alarshall  and  Bonham,  in  Texas. 

It  is  not  so  difficult  to  understand  the  steady  progress  of 
the  Baptists  in  the  state,  at  that  time.  The  veterans  of 
earlier  years  were  working  with  the  same  ardor  with  which 
they  labored  when  the  difficulties  were  immense,  and  with 
so  many  advantages  now  in  their  favor,  the  results  were 
correspondingly  as  great.  So  far  from  resting  on  the  laurels 
won,  they  took  encouragement  from  continual  progress  and 
labored  as  in  the  days  of  yore.  Even  when  laid  aside,  as 
was  the  case  with  Z.  N.  Morrell,  by  reason  of  broken  health, 
these  men  w'ent  as  they  could,  and  labored  with  each  tem- 
porary recurrence  of  strength.  They  were  thus  the  occa- 
sion of  stimulating  the  activity  of  many,  who  else  w^ould 
have  lapsed  into  ease  and  indifference.  So  much  for  the 
power  of  example  in  religious  work.  The  faithful  Chris- 
tian often  multiplies  himself  manifold  in  his  unconscious 
influence  on  others.  Life  involves  a  double  light,  and  acts 
and  words  have  many  brothers.  At  this  period  the  heroes 
of  many  victories  were  still  at  the  front  of  the  file,  rousing 
the  energies  of  many  another. 

Conspicuous  among  the  class  just  mentioned  w-ere  J.  W. 
D.  Creath  and  James  Huckins,  the  former  general  mis- 
sionary and  the  latter  financial  secretary  of  Baylor.  The 
complete  records  of  their  deeds  will  never  be  chronicled  on 
any  earthly  page,  but  they  are  known  above.  They  were 
still  the  fortunate  possessors  of  robust  manhood,  and  were 
now  in  the  thick  of  the  fray,  and  with  wisdom  whetted  by 
constant  contact  with  hard  and  difficult  conditions,  these 
men  were  as  active  as  ever.  Disregarding  exposure  to  the 
varying  moods  of  the  weather,  braving  the  turbulence  of 
swollen  streams,  and  the  terrors  of  deep  prairie  mud,  and. 
though  many  times  disappointed  in  the  accomplishment  of 
proposed  endeavor,  these  genuine  heroes  often  hoped  against 
hope,  and  drew  inspiration  solely  from  an  abiding  trust  in 


KEV.    J.    M.    CARROLL,    SAX    MARCOS,    TEXAS. 


A    PEEIOD    OF    EXPANSION'  iOy 

God.  That  He  reigned  and  turned  into  the  great  current 
of  His  providence  even  the  feeblest  effort  made  in  His 
name,  gave  them  cheer  in  despondency,  and  enabled  them  to 
rejoice  in  their  tribulation.  More  and  more  difficulties  at 
Baylor  were  yielding  to  the  persistent  pluck  of  President 
Burleson,  and  the  school  was  gradually  taking  on  new  life, 
and  assuming  gratifying  proportions.  The  schools  for  both 
sexes  were  under  the  general  supervision  of  Mr.  Burleson, 
though  the  girls  were  under  the  special  care  of  Rev.  Horace 
Clarke,  with  a  competent  corps  of  instructors. 

On  May  5,  1853,  the  university  sustained  the  loss  of  its 
financial  secretary,  by  the  reacceptance,  by  Mr.  Huckins,  of 
the  pastorate  of  the  First  Church  of  Galveston.  It  was 
immensely  to  his  credit  that  this  gifted  man  w^as  recalled  to 
his  old  charge,  after  an  absence  of  five  years.  Few  men 
can  resume  a  pastoral  work  when  they  once  retire  from  it. 
His  return  to  Galveston  was  the  occasion  of  a  most  cordial 
greeting,  not  only  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  the  First 
Baptist  church,  but  by  the  people  of  the  entire  city. 

The  sixth  session  of  the  state  convention  was  held  in 
1853,  at  Huntsville.  It  proved  to  be  the  largest  yet  held  in 
the  state.  Messengers  were  present  from  thirty-five 
churches  and  four  associations.  The  work  of  the  year  had 
been  such  as  to  give  encouragement.  Not  a  discordant  note 
was  borne  to  the  annual  meeting.  The  continued  activity 
in  all  spheres  of  denominational  work  emphasized  anew 
the  necessity  of  a  denominational  organ  as  a  means  of  inter- 
communication. With  the  possibility  of  constant  touch  of 
workers,  the  one  with  the  other,  it  would  be  impossible  to 
estimate  the  results.  As  it  was,  next  to  nothing  was  known 
of  the  work  which  was  being  done  the  one  by  the  other,  and 
the  stimulus  of  vying  was  absent  from  the  churches.  A 
committee  had  been  appointed  at  the  last  session  of  the  con- 
vention to  take  under  advisement  the  question  of  beginning 
a  Baptist  paper  in  Texas,  and  at  the  present  session  recom- 
mended that  the  enterprise  be  undertaken,  so  soon  as  a  list 
of  one  thousand  subscribers  could  be  had.  It  was  further 
recommended  that  the  paper  be  located  at  Independence, 
with  Professor  J.  B.  Stiteler  as  editor,  and  Revs.  G.  Tucker 
and  J.  H.  Stribling  as  corresponding  editors.   It  was  further 


110  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

recommended  that  the  convention  engage  the  services  of  a 
pubhsher.  A  prospectus  was  to  be  issued  at  once,  and  a  col- 
lection was  asked  for  with  which  to  issue  the  prospectus, 
resulting  in  $15.30.  Efforts  had  been  made  to  co-operate 
jointly  with  the  Baptists  of  Louisiana,  in  establishing  a  com- 
mon organ  between  the  two  states,  but  without  satisfactory 
success.  While  the  reports  from  the  missionary  field  of  the 
state  were  encouraging,  there  was  the  continued  cry  o-f  des- 
titution. Important  sections  and  centers  were  in  need  of 
attention.  Among  these  points  of  interest  were  Seguin,  New 
Braunfels,  San  Antonio,  and  Brownsville.  Besides  these, 
there  were  entire  counties  in  northern  and  southeastern 
Texas,  w'hich  were  suffering  from  destitution.  The  Board 
of  Directors  in  its  appeal,  expressed  the  conviction  that  with 
$2,000  it  would  be  able  to  meet  the  prevailing  destitution. 
The  interior  and  local  work  of  the  individual  associations 
was  valuable,  and  served  to  strengthen  the  work  at  the  base. 
The  enrollment  at  the  University  for  the  past  session  had 
been  one  hundred  and  sixty,  including  several  young  men 
looking  toward  the  ministry.  The  endowment  of  the  presi- 
dent's chair  with  $10,000  had  been  completed,  and  a  similar 
endowment  of  the  chair  of  Natural  Sciences  was  being 
sought.  The  varied  interests  of  the  denomination,  both 
special  and  general,  were  duly  considered,  but  the  expres- 
sion was  frequent  that  nothing  could  be  done  without  a 
paper.  With  an  organ,  the  impression  was  that  the  results 
of  the  work  of  a  year  would  be  doubled.  The  Baptists  had 
not  been  as  yet  taught  to  give.  INIany  well-to-do  men  who 
were  ministers,  served  churches  gratuitously,  which  was 
most  hurtful  to  the  development  of  benevolence.  The 
means  were  not  wanting ;  in  truth,  they  were  abundant,  but 
a  collector  for  a  sacred  cause  was  regarded  a  pest,  and 
what  was  given,  oftentimes  more  nearly  represented  one's 
desire  to  be  rid  of  him,  than  to  assist  in  a  worthy  cause.  The 
country  was  prosperous,  and  many  Baptists  had  grown 
wealthy,  but  the  collections  for  all  causes  for  the  year  aggre- 
gated only  $1,247.73.  The  men  of  the  time  w^ere  more 
solicitous  about  procuring  believers  than  they  were  dollars. 
That  evangelism  is  of  prime  importance,  there  can  be  no 
doubt,  but  it  is  as  much  a  duty  to  give,  as  it  is  to  pray. 


A    PERIOD    OF    EXPANSION  HI 

Constructive  organization  was  the  controlling  thought  of 
the  time  about  which  we  now  write,  and  yet  while  it  was 
expansive,  so  far  as  organic  system  was  concerned,  its  ten- 
dency was  toward  contraction  without  the  development  of 
beneficence. 

The  Baptist  forces  then  were  gradually  crystallizing  into 
compactness*  and  when  a  group  of  churches  was  organized 
in  a  given  section,  the  next  care  was  to  mold  them  into  an 
association.  By  October,  1853,  a  sufficient  number  of 
churches  had  been  organized  about  Bonham,  to  form  an  as- 
sociation. Accordingly,  messengers  from  four  churches, 
Bonham,  Pleasant  Hill,  Salem  and  New  Hope,  met  at  the 
time  already  named,  at  the  Pleasant  Hill  church,  and  con- 
stituted the  Sister  Grove  Association.  Though  not  a  strong 
body,  having  a  membership  of  only  one  hundred  and  fort}'- 
five,  a  missionary  board  was  organized,  and  vigorous  opera- 
tions at  once  begun  in  the  population  of  that  region. 

The  strides  now  being  taken  by  the  Baptists  of  Texas 
were  not  without  much  attendant  difficulty.  Some  of  these 
have  already  been  indicated,  but  others  there  were  which 
served  to  reduce  the  situation  to  one  of  absolute  sincerity 
and  consecration.  It  was  a  time  that  tested  the.  piety  of 
people.  Nothing  short  of  the  love  of  Christ  would  have 
prompted  the  cool  disregard  of  comfort,  and  the  full  ac- 
quiescence in  the  abounding  disadvantages,  as  well  as  the 
genuine  sacrifice  of  this  period.  It  is  doubtful  that  there 
were,  at  this  period,  more  than  a  half  dozen  comfortable 
houses  of  worship  belonging  to  the  denomination  in  the 
state.  Outside  a  few  centers  of  population,  the  places  of 
worship  were  the  most  uninviting.  The  question  was  not 
one  of  attractiveness  and  of  taste,  nor  even  one  of  ordinary 
comfort,  that  drew  the  people  together  in  assemblages  of 
worship,  but  unadulterated  devotion.  Churches  and  asso- 
ciations, and  even  colleges,  were  organized  in  log  cabins, 
and  in  so  uncomfortable  places  as  these,  the  people  wor- 
shiped for  years  together.  During  the  cold  season,  with 
the  wintry  wind  whistling  through  the  crevices,  the  con- 
gregations would  gather,  sit  on  backless  seats,  which  oftener 
than  otherwise  were  split  logs,  with  the  flat  surface  turned 
upward,   and    supported   by   strong   underpinning   of   pegs. 


110  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Many  people  in  the  interior,  where  goods  were  scarce, 
were  often  poorly  and  grotesquely  dressed.  A  congrega- 
tion would  often  huddle  together,  some  wearing  the  robes 
of  buffaloes,  and  others  of  bears,  with  open  windows  and 
doors  (for  sash  was  as  rare  as  comfort),  would  worship 
with  ardor,  and  placidly  listen  to  a  sermon,  rarely  so  short 
as  an  hour  in  length.  Yet  many  of  these  people  had  left 
behind  therrr  in  their  original  homes  in  the  other  states,  con- 
ditions far  different.  There  was  a  pious  patriotism  that 
drew  them  unto  unity,  and  consolidated  sentiment.  In  it 
all,  there  was  a  faith  in  a  better  future,  that  was  as  unshak- 
able as  the  rocky  hills.  The  things  which,  in  later  time, 
would  be  regarded  as  improper  in  the  conduct  of  worship, 
were  taken  with  native  common  sense  as  a  matter  of 
course.  An  incident  may  afford  an  illustration.  On  the 
occasion  of  the  organization  of  New  Hope  church,  four 
miles  east  of  Bonham,  the  zealous  missionary,  J.  R.  Bris- 
coe, was  preaching  in  a  small  log  cabin,  in  which  the 
church  was  constituted,  which  cabin  served  the  devoted 
family  in  the  double  capacity  of  dwelling  and  smoke-house. 
At  the  end  of  the  room,  where  the  preacher  stood,  there  were 
suspended  from  the  joists,  huge  sides  of  bacon,  plump  hams, 
and  sausages  strung  on  long  rods.  He  stood  behind  a  plain 
table  of  pine,  on  which  lay  open  the  large  family  Bible.  In 
his  violent  gesticulations,  the  hand  of  the  preacher  struck 
one  of  the  huge  sides  of  bacon,  and  down  it  came  about  his 
ears,  and  fell  with  a  thud  at  his  feet.  Without  a  break  in 
his  remarks,  he  grasped  it  on  two  sides,  raised  it  to  the 
table,  spread  his  large  bandana  handkerchief  over  it.  laid 
the  large  Bible  on  it,  and  went  on  as  though  nothing  had 
occurred.  Incidents  which  would  stampede  an  audience  in 
later  and  more  fastidious  times,  were  then  unnoticed. 

In  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship,  congregations 
would  sometimes  unite  with  the  fraternity  of  Masons  in 
building  a  house  with  two  floors,  on  the  lower  of  which 
the  people  would  worship,  while  the  brethren  of  the  mystic 
tie  would  conduct  their  exercises  above.  That  one  may 
understand  the  disadvantages  experienced,  even  in  centers 
that  have  become  fashionable,  we  will  allow  Deacon  Speight, 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Waco,  to  describe  the  First 


A    PEEIOD    OF    EXPANSIOiN  113 

Church  of  that  city,  as  it  appeared  as  late  as  1857.  He 
says:  "This  rude  structure  (though  a  good  one  in  primi- 
tive times  in  Waco  village)  was  constructed  by  planting 
cedar  poles  upright  in  the  ground,  and  weather-boarding 
the  same  with  oak  clap-boards,  the  roof  being  made  of  the 
same  material,  the  floor  of  cedar  puncheons,  and  the  shut- 
ters to  the  windows  and  doors  of  rough  cedar  plank.  The 
house  was  owned,  or  controlled,  by  the  Methodists,  and 
it  was  by  their  courtesy  that  the  church  used  it  for  a  while, 
for  one  Sabbath  and  Saturday  preceding,  and  afterwards 
for  two  Sabbaths  in  the  month.  At  that  time,  it  was  the 
common  preaching  place  for  all  denominations,  the  Bap- 
tists, Methodists  and  Presbyterians  being  the  only  ones 
represented  in  the  village  for  several  years  after."  And  yet 
when  a  more  commodious  house  of  worship  was  finally 
built,  some  of  the  older  members  were  reluctant  to  quit  a 
place  to  which  their  memories  clung  with  fond  affection, 
as  it  was  to  them  a  Bethel,  where  they  had  so  often  met 
with  God  in  worship.  For  years  together,  many  churches 
were  maintained  by  meeting  in  court-houses.  It  was  fre- 
quently the  case  that  Judge  R.  E.  B.  Baylor  would  conduct 
a  session  of  court  and  a  revival  simultaneously — administer 
justice  during  the  day,  and  preach  hope  and  salvation  at 
night.  In  but  few  churches  was  the  presence  of  an  organ 
tolerated.  One  was  put  by  some  one  unknown,  into  the 
First  Church  of  Houston,  and  became  the  occasion  of  no 
little  disturbance.  The  consciences  of  some  of  the  saints 
were  wounded  by  the  presence  of  so  ungodly  a  thing,  and 
the  agitation  reached  such  a  pitch,  that  the  instrument  sud- 
denly disappeared.  It  was  afterward  found  in  the  bottom 
of  Buffalo  Bayou,  which  flows  through  the  city,  going  as  it. 
came,  it  is  not  known  how.  Fifty  years  have  wrought  vast 
changes  in  the  sentiments  of  the  people.  It  sounds  strangely 
enough  today  after  the  lapse  of  fifty  years,  that  when  an 
application  was  made  for  an  appropriation  of  $75  for  a 
year  to  sustain  the  cause  at  Waco,  one  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  should  have  said:  "Waco!  Where's  Waco?"  It 
had  not  then  appeared  on  the  map  of  Texas. 

From  conditions  like  these,  the  Baptists  of  Texas  have 
risen  within  the  brief  period  of  half  a  century.     Yet  the 


REV.  JESSE  L.  WARD,  WACO,  TEXAS. 

(Born  on  Deep  Creek,  in  Wise  Co..  Texas.,  Sept.  24,  1866:  converted 
in  Aug..  1S79  ;  married  Miss  Jennie  Beard,  Jan.  11,  1885  :  baptized  into 
the  Springtown  Cliurcli,  I'arker  Co.,  Texas,  in  Aug..  1887 :  ordained  to 
tiie  ministry  by  the  same  cliurch.  June  10,  1802 :  began  work  as  a 
minister  by  serving  four  country  and  village  churches  near  Springtown, 
as  pastor ;  resigned  pastoral  v.ork  to  enter  Baylor  University  in  the 
fall,  1893  :  studied  in  Baylor  University  three  sessions  ;  became  pastor  of 
Decatur  Church,  July  1,  1890,  serving  four  years;  became  President  of 
Decatur  College,  July  1,  1900:  resigned  to  accept  Corresponding  Secre- 
taryship of  Texas  Education  Commission,  June  1,  1907 ;  began  public 
life  as  a  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store  in  Sept.,  1883  :  began  business  as  a 
merchant,  in  Springtown,  June  6,  1887  ;  sold  out  business,  Jan.  1,  1893, 
to  give  entire  time  to  the  ministry  ;  wife  died  Feb.  20,  1907.) 


A    PERIOD    OF    EXPANSION  115 

transformation  backward,  from  that  time,  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years,  was  comparatively  as  marvelous  as  within 
the  period  of  fifty  years  forward,  from  1853.  Baptists  of 
this  time  not  only  kept  abreast  of  the  expanding  greatness 
of  the  state,  they  were  no  small  part  of  the  creators  of 
that  greatness.  Their  schools  of  learning,  though  strug- 
gling in  the  throes  of  perplexity,  their  able  ministry  and 
uncompromising  and  progressive  missionaries  were  the 
pioneers  of  agencies  which  have  helped  to  make  Texas 
what  it  has  come  to  be.  The  promulgation  of  Baptist  prin- 
ciples has  been  no  inconsiderable  element  in  the -creation, 
formation  and  perpetuation  of  republican  America,  and  in 
Texas,  these  principles  found  as  pronounced  expression  as 
ever  they  did  in  Rhode  Island,  or  Virginia. 

The  course  adopted  at  the  convention  at  Marshall,  re- 
specting the  application  for  establishing  a  school  at  Tyler, 
now  began  to  bear  bitter  fruit.  It  would  seem  that  such 
inevitable  consequences  might  have  been  easily  forecast  by 
as  wise  men  as  stood  at  the  helm  at  that  time ;  but  they 
were  not,  and  the  way  was  opened  for  disturbance.  Hap- 
pily the  means  of  communication  were  scant  and  slow,  else 
the  results  would  have  been  far  more  disastrous.  Deeply 
grieved  by  the  action  of  the  convention  at  Marshall,  the 
progressive  people  of  Tyler  and  of  the  neighboring  region, 
assumed  an  aggressive  attitude,  and  under  the  leadership 
of  the  Baptist  pastor  in  the  town.  Rev.  G.  G.  Baggerly,  who 
was  a  man  of  some  scholarship,  and  who  was  to  have  been 
the  head  of  the  proposed  school,  a  revolt  was  raised  against 
the  Baptist  State  Convention.  Positive,  and  even  stern,  if 
not  resentful,  Mr.  Baggerly  advocated  a  total  disregard  of 
the  general  body,  and  at  the  same  time  injected  into  the 
agitation  charges  of  a  grave  nature  against  certain  distin- 
guished members  of  the  convention,  alleging  a  gross  mis- 
appropriation of  the  funds  of  the  body.  He  went  further, 
and  charged  serious  mismanagement  and  sectional  favor- 
itism. A  contest  of  petty  sectional  rivalry  was  aroused  and 
vehemently  engaged  in.  Some  of  his  charges  were  not 
without  a  plausible  basis,  because  of  the  lax  methods  in  the 
management  of  some  of  the  affairs  of  the  convention,  but 
no  one  who  knew  the  men  thus  charged  with  a  misappro- 


IIG  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

priation  of  funds  seriously  credited  the  allegations.  But 
where  passion  supersedes  judgment,  and  the  desire  for  vic- 
tory rises  above  that  of  truth,  men,  especially  in  a  religious 
controversy,  become  doubly  dangerous.  The  cause  of 
religion  has  suffered  no  little  at  the  hands  of  men  who, 
from  motives  wholly  selfish,  at  bottom,  contending  under 
the  guise  of  religious  fervor,  and  ostensibly  for  principle, 
have  precipitated  disturbances  that  have  been  exceedingly 
hurtful.  But  for  the  fact  that  God  makes  even  the  wrath 
of  man  to  praise  Him,  Christianity  would  long  ago  have 
been  wrecked.  A  half  truth  is  often  more  hurtful  than  a 
falsehood. 

Mr.  Baggerly,  as  the  champion  of  the  Tyler  issue,  was 
tireless  in  his  efforts  to  turn  to  practical  advantage  any  de- 
tected flaws  in  the  situation,  as  represented  by  the  State 
Convention,  and  by  plausible  manipulation,  put  the  Conven- 
tion on  the  defensive.  Nothing  is  easier,  and  oftentimes 
more  hurtful,  than  catch-words  and  striking  mottoes,  in  a 
campaign.  Great  issues  have  frequently  turned  on  the 
popular  currency  of  meaningless  slogans.  Ringing  the 
changes  on  what  he  was  pleased  to  call,  by  wav  of  com- 
parative disparagement,  the  "Convention  of  the  West,"  Mr. 
Baggerlv  aroused,  in  eastern  Texas,  much  unfavorable  sen- 
timent in  opposition  to  the  Convention.  So  pronounced  were 
his  charges,  and  reckless  his  statements,  that  he  found  it 
easy  to  gain  the  consent  of  many  to  engage  in  the  forma- 
tion of  another  body  of  Baptists,  where  it  would  be  free  of 
the  taint  of  the  original  convention.  There  is  a  singular 
similarity  between  that  wdiich  took  place  then,  to  some  other 
occurrences  in  the  future  history  of  the  denomination  in 
the  state.  At  any  rate,  the  movement  culminated  in  the 
organization  of  the  "The  Texas  General  Convention,"  at 
Larissa,  in  November,  1853.  While  the  ostensible  purpose 
was  to  fuse  the  elements  of  the  state  into  progressive  har- 
mony, the  real  design  seems  clearly  to  have  been  rivalry 
with  the  State  Convention,  and  direct  opposition  to  Baylor 
University.  The  ardent  promoters  of  the  undertaking 
counted  without  their  host,  however,  for  when  the  real  pur- 
pose was  disclosed,  the  leaders  in  east  Texas  declined  to 
enter  into  the  foment  of  strife,  or  to  do  anything  that  would 


A    PERIOD    OF    EXPANSION  H'J' 

in  the  least  retard  the  progress  of  the  denomination.  A 
reaction  set  in  after  the  organization,  and  such  men  as  Witt, 
Bledsoe,  Tucker,  Stokes,  and  others,  declined  to  be  a  party 
to  a  movement  that  sought  the  dismemberment  of  the  gen- 
eral body.  These  men  were  pronounced  in  their  discredit 
of  the  reports  circulated  against  some  of  the  best  men  in  the 
convention.  Internal  dissatisfaction  having  taken  place 
within  the  new  body,  its  decline  was  so  rapid,  that  it  found 
its  funeral  in  its  second  meeting,  for  it  was  dissolved  at 
that  time,  b'ill,  this  left  two  decided  factions,  without  the 
reconciliation  of  which  hurtful  results  were  sure  to  follow. 
This  found  a  temporary  solution,  as  we  shall  see,  as  we  fol- 
low the  chronological  order  of  events. 

During  the  latter  part  of  1853,  the  Judson  Association 
was  formed  at  Larissa,  in  Cherokee  county.  It  was  a 
strong  body,  having  seventeen  churches  and  eight  hundred 
members — the  largest  of  the  associations  yet  organized.  It 
is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  General  Houston  was  present,  as 
a  messenger  from  the  church  at  Independence,  into  the 
membership  of  which  he  had  been  recently  baptized  by 
Doctor  Burleson.  At  this  session  he  gave  ^330  for  min- 
isterial education  at  Baylor  University.  The  gift  was 
accounted  a  most  munificent  one,  and  was  highly  prized, 
as  it  was  greatly  needed. 

The  fact  must  not  be  overlooked  that  during  all  this 
time  the  churches  were  rapidly  multiplying,  and  at  almost 
every  session  of  a  district  association,  churches,  newly 
formed,  would  apply  for  admission.  As  new  territory  was 
occupied,  and  new  counties  were  constituted,  tides  of  popu- 
lation would  pour  in,  and  with  each  fresh  installment  would 
come  a  number  of  Baptists.  Nor  must  it  be  forgotten  that 
this  work  was  chiefly  the  result  of  the  sacrifice  of  pastors 
and  missionaries  on  the  field,  and  of  the  liberality  of  the 
churches  of  Texas.  Much  has  been  said  of  the  expendi- 
tures of  the  Domestic  Mission  Board  in  the  early  stages 
of  Texas  history,  and  the  assertion  has  been  frequently 
made  that  that  board  largely  made  the  denomination  in 
this  state.  That  the  board  was  generous,  and  aided  to  the 
extent  of  its  ability,  there  is  no  doubt,  but  during  the  first 
ten  years  of  its  history  it  contributed  to  the  cause  in  Texas 


118  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

an  amount  not  exceeding  $5,500.  This  fact  is  stated,  not 
with  the  view  of  disparaging  the  history  of  the  Domestic 
(now  the  Home)  Mission  Board,  but  to  accord  the  merits 
of  their  just  deserts  to  the  heroes  of  the  border,  who  spent 
their  hves  in  the  tremendous  work  of  rooting  Baptist  prin- 
ciples in  Texas,  and  at  great  personal  sacrifice. 

The  year,  1854,  was  one  fruitful  of  results  for  good  to 
the  cause  and  one  which  derived  increased  momentum  from 
the  successes  of  the  past.  During  this  year,  the  denomina- 
tion strode  far  in  advance  of  the  preceding  years.  Among 
other  events  of  importance  was  that  of  the  settlement  of 
Rev.  S.  G.  O'Bryan  as  the  pastor  of  the  church  at  Waco. 
For  two  years,  Rev.  N.  T.  Byars  had  been  doing  founda- 
tion work  in  that  field,  which  w^as  full  of  difficulties,  as  it 
was  well  toward  the  frontier.  Its  membership  had  grown 
from  the  number  of  four  to  that  of  twenty.  Mr.  O'Bryan, 
who  now  became  the  pastor,  had  just  retired  from  the 
chair  of  mathematics  in  Baylor  University.  A  graduate 
from  Wake  Forest  College,  North  Carolina,  he  came  to 
Texas  in  1852,  and  after  a  service  of  two  years  at  Baylor, 
took  charge  of  the  church  at  Waco.  His  work  greatly 
prospered,  and  at  the  end  of  six  years,  the  church  numbered 
two  hundred,  after  wdiich  time  he  succeeded  in  building  a 
substantial  brick  house  of  worship. 

In  the  early  part  of  1854,  another  influential  church  had 
its  beginning — the  First  Church  of  Paris,  which  was  con- 
stituted on  April  23,  with  a  membership  of  six,  by  Rev. 
W.  M.  Pickett,  who  became  the  first  pastor.  This  year,  too, 
marks  the  beginning  of  Baptist  journalism  in  Texas.  For 
years  together,  there  had  been  a  burning  demand  for  a 
denominational  organ.  The  claims  of  such  an  enterprise 
had  been  suggested  again  and  again,  and  vigorous  efforts 
had  been  made  to  set  it  on  foot.  The  fact  that  the  denomi- 
nation seemed  almost  ready  at  dififerent  times  to  realize  the 
consummation  of  the  enterprise  whetted  the  desire  to  in- 
tense keenness.  It  was  at  last  reduced  to  a  business  basis, 
and  it  was  ascertained  that  $1,200  was  necessary  to  buy  an 
outfit,  but  $900  was  the  limit  that  could  be  reached  at  Inde- 
pendence, whereupon  the  enterprise  failed.  At  the  session 
of  the  convention  in   1853  the  Board  of  Directors  was  in- 


A    PERIOD    OF    EXPANSlOiN  Hy 

structed  to  prosecute  the  work  of  seeking  to  establish  a 
paper,  and  finally  arrangements  were  made  for  the  pub- 
lication, by  the  assumption  of  all  financial  obligation  for 
one  year,  by  twenty-five  brethren.  It  was  decided  not  to 
locate  at  Independence,  as  was  first  deemed  advisable,  but  at 
Anderson,  where  was  one  of  the  strongest  churches  in  the 
state.  The  change  of  proposed  location  necessitated  a 
change  in  the  proposed  editorship  of  the  paper,  and  as  Pro- 
fessor Stiteler  had  been  chosen  the  editor  by  the  conven- 
tion, he  resigned  the  proposed  position,  and  agreed  to  take 
a  subordinate  place  on  the  paper  under  the  editorship  of 
Rev.  G.  W.  Baines.  At  this  time  Mr.  Baines  was  the 
popular  pastor  of  the  church  at  Anderson,  and  was  one 
of  the  strongest  and  safest  men  in  the  state.  Necessary 
preparations  had  to  be  made,  so  that  the  first  issue  of  the 
paper  did  not  appear  till  January,  1855. 

At  the  commencement  at  Baylor  University  there  was 
conferred  the  first  diploma  ever  granted  by  that  institution, 
which  diploma  was  given  to  Stephen  D.  Rowe,  who  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts.  The  convention  for 
1854  was  held  at  Palestine.  The  body  was  organized  by 
the  election  of  James  Huckins,  president ;  J.  W.  D.  Creath, 
J.  M.  Maxcy  and  S.  G.  O'Bryan,  vice  presidents ;  G.  W. 
Baines,  recording  secretary,  and  R.  C.  Burleson,  corre- 
sponding secretary. 

While  the  work  on  the  local  fields  was  not  without  dis- 
couragement, this  was  so  overbalanced  by  encouragement 
and  hopefulness,  that  it  afforded  fresh  inspiration  for  the 
future.  There  was  a  manifest  growth  in  the  missionary 
spirit,  and  greater  emphasis  than  ever  before  was  laid  on 
foreign  missions.  The  report  on  foreign  missions  mentions 
an  encouragement  of  the  work  in  China,  where  the  aspirant 
to  the  throne  of  the  empire  had  been  led  to  embrace  Chris- 
tianity as  the  result  of  a  tract  given  by  a  Baptist  missionary 
named,  I.  J.  Roberts.  The  destitute  fields  in  Texas,  the 
growth  of  population  and  the  enforced  retirement  of  mis- 
sionaries because  of  lack  of  support,  were  urged  as  a  basis, 
for  increased  beneficence.  Work  among  the  slaves  was 
progressing  and  encouraging.  The  convention  lent  its  influ- 
ence and  support  to  the  temperance  cause,  which  was  then 


l-iQ  lll8Tt)in     UF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

agitating  the  public  mind.  The  general  work  in  the  state 
had  found  a  potent  factor  in  the  colportage  system,  which 
at  last  came  into  existence,  and  $300  worth  of  books  had 
been  sold  by  Mr.  Clabaugh  within  six  weeks.  The  activity 
of  the  missionaries  had  resulted  in  many  baptisms,  and  the 
organization  of  a  number  of  churches.  The  central  and 
populous  points,  of  which  there  were  now  not  a  few,  were 
extending  the  work  in  the  neighboring  regions,  and  as  far 
as  possible  the  intervening  territory  was  being  supplied. 
Only  the  most  glowing  report  came  from  Baylor  Univer- 
sity, the  Board  of  Trustees  of  which  said  in  the  annual 
report  that  the  school  was- "in  a  most  flourishing  condition 
and  was  increasing  in  public  confidence."  The  value  of  the 
university,  property  was  placed  at  $40,000. 

An  adjourned  meeting  of  the  body  w"as  to  be  held  at 
Gonzales,  but  the  object  of  such  a  meeting  is  not  named, 
nor  has  any  record  of  it  been  preserved.  The  matter  of 
gravest  concern  at  this  time  was,  how  couM  the  denomina- 
tion meet  the  constantly  increasing  demands  which  were 
being  made  to  supply  the  destitution  of  the  state.  During 
the  first  decade  and  a  half,  they  had  been  able  to  cope  with 
the  situation,  but  they  w-ere  now  face  to  face  with  an  emer- 
gency. New  regions  were  being  opened,  new  interests 
springing  up,  new  installments  of  population  added,  and 
new  centers  created.  Little  idea  was  had  outside  Texas  of 
the  vast  and  novel  changes  which  were  taking  place  in  the 
state.  Communication  was  meager  between  Texas  and  the 
older  states,  and  private  information  was  regarded  as  being 
highly  colored.  Transportation  was  difficult  and  irksome, 
and  people  of  other  regions  were  totally  unaware  of  the 
expenditure  of  the  wonderful  heroism  which  was  being 
undergone,  as  they  were  of  the  order  and  well  regulated 
society  prevailing,  and  of  institutions  of  promise  which  were 
rapidly  assuming  shape.  To  the  workers  on  the  field, 
whether  in  civic  or  religious  life,  the  situation  was  one  of 
profound  seriousness.  The  problems  growing  out  of  the 
situation  in  Texas  were  unique.  They  differed  in  some 
essential  particulars  from  those  encountered  in  any  other 
American  state.  The  extent  of  territory  from  one  point 
of  view,  was  desirable,  but  carried  with  it  serious  embar- 


A.    PERIOD    OF    EXPANS^O^'  13] 

rassments.  Within  a  given  year  settlements,  hundreds  of 
miles  apart,  would  be  formed  with  vast  areas  of  plains  lying 
between,  and  with  none  other  than  the  ordinary  means  of 
original  communication  between  them.  To  wield  existing 
agencies  so  as  to  amalgamate  these  widely  severed  interests 
and  settlements,  taxed  the  statesmen  as  well  as  the  mission- 
ary. At  this  period,  such  important  fields  as  Brownsville, 
San  Antonio,  Indianola,  Port  Lavaca,  Richmond  and  other 
points,  where  there  were  Baptists,  were  without  preaching. 
Along  the  Red  river,  wdiere  colonies  had  settled,  there  was 
an  alarming  spiritual  destitution.  Yet  every  preacher 
seemed  to  be  doing  his  utmost,  and  the  churches  were  being 
plied  with  appeals  for  means  with  which  to  supply  the  exist- 
ing wants. 

It  was  a  time  when  no  fixed  methods  of  evangelization 
could  be  established.  The  inflow  and  perpetual  shift  of  a 
restless  population,  put  afifairs  quite  beyond  the  reach  of 
even  the  wisest  administration.  The  plans  of  one  year  had 
to  be  modified  or  completely  upset,  for  the  activities  of  the 
next.  This  was  the  condition  wdien  the  year  1855  dawned 
on  the  Baptists  of  Texas. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SUNSHINE   AND    SHADOW. 

The  year  1855  opened  auspiciously  to  the  Baptists  of 
Texas.  An  immense  difficulty  had  been  removed  by  the 
establishment  of  a  denominational  paper,  a  difficulty  which 
had  seriously  retarded  the  work,  especially  within  the  last 
few  years.  The  denomination  was  fortunate  in  having  so 
valuable  and  competent  an  editor  as  G.  W.  Baines,  Sr,  He 
commanded  universal  esteem  because  of  his  numerous  quali- 
ties, not  least  among  which  were  his  incisive  intellect  and 
acute  discrimination.  Conciliatory,  wise,  scholarly,  and 
withal  a  man  of  unquestioned  piety,  no  one  was  better  fitted 
for  a  position,  at  once  responsible  and  onerous,  than  was  Mr. 
Baines.  He  was  the  unanimous  choice  of  his  brethren, 
because  he  was  admirably  fitted  for  this  initial  endeavor  in 
journalism,  at  such  a  time,  and  under  such  conditions.  Nor 
did  he  in  the  least  disappoint  the  expectations  of  his  friends. 
Otiite  on  the  other  hand,  he  grew  steadily  in  denominational 
confidence  and  esteem. 

We  come  now  to  a  period  when  the  country  was  being 
agitated  by  a  question  which  was  assuming  portentous  pro- 
portions— that  of  African  slavery.  The  abolition  press  and 
pulpit  of  the  North,  in  the  denunciation  of  African  slavery, 
was  equaled  only  by  its  vehement  defense  in  the  South.  The 
question  never  found  its  way  into  the  Southern  pulpit,  but 
the  press  of  the  South  made  itself  potent  in  defending  the 
institution  against  the  assaults  of  the  North.  It  found  its 
way,  as  a  burning  question,  into  our  institutions  of  learning, 
and  into  text-books  by  Southern  pens,  in  the  sphere  of  ethics, 
which  books  were  set  for  the  defense  by  African  servitude. 
These  expressions  on  both  sides  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line, 

122 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  133 

derived  their  inspiration  from  the  national  Congress,  the 
halls  of  which  rang  with  the  eloquence  of  leaders  arrayed 
on  opposite  sides  of  this  ardent  issue.  Indeed,  in  the  discus- 
sion of  the  question  of  the  annexation  of  Texas,  the  question 
of  slavery  was  paramount.  Northern  leaders  w^ere  correct  in 
the  conclusion  that  such  annexation  would  more  complicate 
the  grave  question  now  stirring  the  country  to  its  depths, 
-for  Texas  would  inevitably  be  a  slave-holding  state,  and 
Southern  leaders  were  the  more  insistent  for  its  annexation 
because  such  would  be  true.  For  years  preceding  this 
period  about  which  we  now  write,  the  question  had  been 
waxing  hotter,  but  now  it  was  clear  that  nothing  short  of 
war  would  settle  it.  The  question  became  more  engrossing 
till  the  country  was  convulsed  by  the  thunders  of  w^ar.     . 

The  establishment  of  The  Texas  Baptist  soon  began  to 
bear  fruit.  Its  circulation  was  at  first  tardy,  but  the  postal 
facilities  were  poor,  and  gradually  by  dint  of  merit  it  found 
its  way  into  the  Baptist  communities  throughout  the  state. 
It  was  a  dynamic  force  to  the  general  denomination  work 
in  the  state,  and  really  marks  an  era  in  its  history. 

This  was  distinctively  an  era  of  material,  social  and 
religious  progress  in  Texas.  Centers  of  population  were 
assuming  an  air  of  consequence,  and  private  residences  and 
public  buildings,  both  of  a  substantial  and  comfortable 
character,  were  being  erected.  It  was  not  an  uncommon 
occurrence,  even  in  the  largest  towns,  to  find  huge  stumps 
still  remaining  in  the  streets,  and  the  streets  themselves 
sometimes  impassable,  in  a  rainy  season  because  of  the  deep 
prairie  mud,  so  rapid  was  the  improvement  wrought  and  so 
quickly  was  a  town  built,  but  patience,  endurance,  and  a 
bigger  hope  possessed  the  people,  and  the  prospective  re- 
sults were  unquestioned. 

A  serious  question  now  came  before  the  Baptists  of  the 
state,  and  one  that  occasioned  no  little  apprehension.  Up  to 
this  time,  Baptist  columns  had  been  massed  in  solidity.  No 
wedge  of  severance  had  been  permitted  to  enter  the  denomi- 
nation at  any  point.  Differences  there  were,  but  they  were 
minor,  and  cool  judgments  and  consecrated  hearts  settled 
them,  as  can  always  be  done  when  differences  arise.  The 
question  of  momentous  importance  was.  What  will  be  the 


J.    H.    GROVE,    BROWNWOOD,    TEXAS. 
President  Howard  Payne  College.    . 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  1^6 

outcome  of  the  sloughing  off  of  Ihe  churches  in  eastern 
Texas?  An  organization  in  opposition  to  the  State  Con- 
vention had  been  set  up  in  1853,  bearing  the  rival  name  of 
"The  Texas  Baptist  General  Association."  Eighteen 
months  had  now  gone,  and  to  the  founders  of  this  organiza- 
tion they  were  months  of  activity.  Charges  of  a  serious 
character  were  brought  against  at  least  two  of  the  best 
men  of  the  denomination,  and  a  serious  reflection  on  the 
entire  general  body.  The  Baptists  were  just  now  ready  to 
move  formidably  forward  in  their  work.  From  a  mere  hand- 
ful, they  had  come  to  number  more  than  10,000  in  the  state, 
and  with  unanimity  of  purpose,  illimitable  possibilities  were 
before  them.  Those  who  felt  keenest  the  failure  to  procure 
the  sanction  of  the  State  Convention  to  establish  a  school 
at  Tyler,  had  gained  a  solid  start  in  the  successful  establish- 
ment of  a  rival  organization.  From  contending  against  a 
common  enemy,  were  the  forces  of  the  Baptists  now  to  be 
divided  and  become  colliding  factions?  Rev.  G.  G.  Bag- 
gerly  was  active  in  eastern  Texas  in  the  iteration  and  reit- 
eration of  charges,  for  the  basis  of  which  he  was  not  with- 
out some  documentary  evidence,  when  only  one  side  was 
presented  in  a  partisan  light.  But  set  over  against  this,  was 
the  granite  character  of  the  men  assailed,  and  when  the 
matter  should  be  brought  to  judicial  light,  it  would  be  seen 
how  easy  it  is  to  displace  sometimes,  the  most  unquestioned 
testimony.  Baggerly  went  too  far,  as  men  are  liable  to 
do  under  such  conditions — he  overreached  himself ;  for  back 
of  all  surface  evidence,  stood  the  invulnerableness  of  char- 
acter against  which  nothing  can  prevail.  Do  what  he  might, 
the  characters  of  Baines  and  Creath  would  remain  un- 
touched and  unsullied  before  a  fair-minded  public.  No 
assault,  however  subtle  or  plausible,  can  move  a  granite 
character.  Indeed,  the  man  who  tampers  with  such,  will  find 
in  the  end,  that  the  force  comes  back  on  himself  with  re- 
bounding violence.  Reaction  in  the  public  mind  against  one 
who  seeks  to  undermine  character  by  reckless  speech  and 
unfounded  assertion,  brands  him  for  all  time.  England's 
greatest ,  dramatist  never  uttered  a  sager  sentiment  than 
when  he  put  into  the  mouth  of  one  of  his  characters  this 
language : 


126  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

"Be  advised ; 
Heat  not  a  furnace  for  your  foe  so  hot 
That  it  do  singe  yourself ;  we  may  outrun. 
By  violent  swiftness,  that  which  we  run  at, 
And  lose  by  overrunning." 

The  dissatisfaction  in  eastern  Texas,  resulting  from  the 
repeated  charges  against  honored  brethren,  was  so  decided, 
that  when  the  second  session  of  the  Texas  Baptist  General 
Association  met  at  Tyler,  in  May,  1855.  it  found  itself  under 
the  necessity  of  organizing  a  less  pretentious  body,  for  which 
the  following  paved  the  way : 

"Resolved,  That  we  dissolve  any  previous  organization 
as  a  General  Association  or  Convention,  and  that  we  now 
stand  ready  to  go  into  an  organization  on  proper  principles, 
with  the  delegates  present  from  the  different  churches,  for 
the  purpose  of  organizing  an  Eastern  Texas  Baptist  Con- 
vention, in  accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  the 
Soda  Lake  Association." 

This  at  once  settled  the  question  of  rivalship  with  the 
Baptist  State  Convention,  and  while  even  that  which  was 
adopted  seemed  inopportune,  the  failure  to  organize  a  gen- 
eral and  opposing  body  was  most  fortunate.  A  constitution 
was  adopted  which  named  as  its  objects  the  co-operation  of 
the  Baptists  of  eastern  Texas,  the  formation  of  plans  fof 
the  revival  of  religion  in  the  state  and  elsewhere,  assistance 
in  giving  effect  to  useful  plans  of  district  associations,  pro- 
viding the  creation  of  a  fund  for  the  education  of  young 
men  contemplating  the  ministry,  and  the  promotion  of  pious 
and  useful  education  in  the  Baptist  denomination.  If  the 
body  was  to  be  created,  it  could  not  have  adopted  a  better 
basis  of  action.    This  done,  and  then  came  the  following: 

"Resolved,  That  the  convention  now  go  into  a  commit- 
tee of  the  whole  for  the  purpose  of  investigating  the  charges 
and  difficulties,  together  with  all  matters  of  difficulty  be- 
tween Brother  Baggerly  and  the  State  Convention."  Ample 
time  was  given  for  the  investigation  of  the  books,  and  for 
probing  the  depths  of  the  charges  so  repeatedly  made  against 
the  inaccuracy  of  the  accounts  of  the  convention,  which  not 
only  involved   a   deficit,   for  which  J.   W.   D.   Creath   w^as 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  lj}7 

responsible,  but  involved  also  Rev.  G.  W.  Baines.  the  treas- 
urer of  the  convention.  The  final  report  fully  vindicated 
the  brethren  charged,  though  certain  minor  discrepancies 
were  found  to  exist.  The  substance  of  the  report  was  that 
the  calculations  of  the  agent  and  of  the  State  Convention 
had  been  derived  from  the  receipts  of  the  treasurer,  as  pre- 
sented by  G.  W.  Baines,  and  were  found  to  be  correct  and 
balanced  within  a  few  cents.  But  Mr.  Baggerly  had  reached 
his  conclusions  from  calculations  based  on  the  reports  of 
the  financial  secretary,  or  agent,  of  the  convention,  J.  W.  D. 
Creath,  which  reports  had  not  been  carefully  prepared.  If 
there  was  as  much  in  the  hubbub  as  Mr.  Baggerly  had  so 
vehemently  insisted,  there  would  have  been  a  discrepancy 
that  meant  more  than  a  .few  cents.  Given  more  to  preaching, 
day  after  day,  than  to  a  careful  and  accurate  statement  of 
funds  collected,  it  is  strange  that  the  discrepancy  was  not 
more  than  it  actually  was.  It  was  clear  to  all  unbiased 
minds  that  the  discrepancy,  about  which  there  had  been  so 
much  ado,  and  which  derived  its  real  nutriment  from  the  dis- 
appointment in  founding  a  school  at  Tyler  under  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  convention,  was  just  that  which  might  arise  in  the 
accounts  of  any  one  unfamiliar  with  balance  sheets.  That 
the  accounts  should  have  been  more  accurately  and  exactly 
kept,  no  one  was  freer  to  admit  than  Mr.  Creath  himself,  but 
this  was  a  matter  altogether  different  from  that  of  chal- 
lenging the  honesty  of  a  faithful  servant  of  God.  Why  were 
not  these  complaints  or  criticisms  brought  to  the  attention 
of  the  convention?  Or  why  was  not  the  attention  of  Mr. 
Creath  called  to  the  matter?  Would  there  have  ever  been 
anything  said  about  the  whole  matter  if  the  school  had  been 
sanctioned  by  the  convention?  Queries  like  these  arose  in 
the  minds  of  many,  and  transferred  the  sting  from  the  breth- 
ren accused  to  other  quarters.  At  any  rate,  the  proceeding 
at  Tyler  cleared  the  atmosphere  and,  excepting  where  men 
were  intent  on  believing  the  contrary,  at  any  rate,  every  one 
stood  fully  vindicated.     Then  came  the  following: 

"Resolved,  That  we  regard  the  difficulty  as  existing  be- 
tween the  East  and  West  to  be  amicably  adjusted,  and 
recommend  that  the  brethren  retract  all  unkind  and  unscrip- 
tural  words  or  articles  that  they  may  have  spoken  or  written 


12S  lil8'rUJiV     OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

concerning  each  other."'  This  constituted  the  bulk  of  the 
business  of  the  body,  and  after  the  appointment  of  the  com- 
mittees for  the  next  session,  the  body  adjourned. 

Pious  wisdom  prevailed  at  a  genuine  crisis  in  Baptist 
affairs,  and  one  that  bade  fair  at  one  time  to  sunder  in  twain 
the  united  hosts  of  the  denomination,  at  a  time  when  it  was 
least  prepared  for  such  a  juncture.  To  such  choice  spirits 
as  Witt,  Bledsoe,  Tucker  and  others,  the  denomination  is 
indebted  for  a  result  so  fraught  with  good  for  the  present, 
as  well  as  for  the  future.  Men  breathed  more  freely  when 
the  storm  had  swept  past. 

How  fortunate  it  was  that  at  such  a  time  the  denomina- 
tion was  possessed  of  a  paper  as  a  medium  of  communica- 
tion, and  how  equally  fortunate  that,  it  had  such  an  editor  as 
G.  W.  Baines !  Though  deeply  wronged,  Mr.  Baines  had 
only  words  of  conciliation  in  his  rapidly  growing  paper. 
Conditions  having  resumed  their  normal  relations,  the  paper 
proved  a  most  valuable  ally  in  restoring  good  will  in  the 
denomination.  It  gave  an  impulse  to  the  work,  and  became 
a  general  denominational  bond.  Henceforth  there  were  the 
two  general  bodies  of  Texas  Baptists,  distinct  and  yet  one, 
operating  in  two  different  geographical  parts  of  the  state — 
east  and  west. 

The  recurrence  of  the  State  Convention,  which  met  in 
1855  at  Independence,  was  an  occasion  of  assurance  and  of 
cheering  prospect.  The  stakes  had  been  strengthened  and 
the  cords  lengthened.  The  central  churches  had  grown 
steadily  stronger,  while  the  number  in  the  outlying  regions 
had  been  multiplied.  In  the  organization,  James  Huckins 
was  made  president,  G.  W.  Baines,  H.  L.  Graves  and  R.  C. 
Burleson,  vice  presidents,  J.  !>.  Stiteler,  corresponding  sec- 
retary, and  J.  M.  Maxcy,  recording  secretary.  Great  dili- 
gence had  been  shown  by  the  Board  of  Directors  in  the 
promotion  of  religion  in  all  quarters  possible.  The  number 
of  missionaries  had  been  increased,  and  a  considerable  work 
had  been  done.  The  board  was  exultant  over  the  fact  that 
the  convention  was  at  last  the  possessor  of  a  paper.  The 
Texas  Baptist  had  procured  eleven  hundred  subscribers 
and  had  reached  the  close  of  the  year  in  debt,  and  that 
without  affording  the  editor  a  cent  of  compensation  for  his 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  129 

service.  The  necessity  of  the  organ,  it  was  urged  by  the 
board,  imposed  on  the  convention  the  duty  of  making  it  a 
permanent  and  inseparable  institution,  in  connection  with 
the  general  work.  A  better  basis  was  prepared  for  the 
paper  for  the  next  year.  The  reports  from  the  broad  field 
occupied  by  the  missionaries,  were  encouraging,  but  the 
reports  of  extended  destitution  and  unoccupied  territory  per- 
plexed more  than  ever.  Since  the  last  meeting  of  the  body 
four  of  the  useful  ministers  of  the  state  had  died — E.  Vin- 
ing,  Thomas  Chilton,  John  O.  Walker  and  A.  Coker. 

From  Baylor  University  came  the  cheering  news  that 
the  attendance  had  increased  to  193  in  both  the  departments. 
The  Board  of  Trustees  had  been  active  during  the  year,  in 
raising  funds  for  a  new  building  on  the  campus,  and  had 
been  able  to  collect  $5,000  for  that  purpose,  and  needed 
$3,000  more  for  its  completion.  It  w^as  also  announced  that 
$3,000  more  was  needed  to  complete  the  endowment  of  the 
chair  of  Natural  Sciences.  The  convention  promptly  raised 
$3,250  for  the  endowment  of  the  chair  named,  and  $1,225 
for  the  new  building.  Even  in  their  poverty  and  undevel- 
oped condition,  the  Texas  Baptists  were  princely  givers. 

Among  the  men  who  were  making  their  impress  on  the 
state  at  this  time  was  James  H.  Stribling,  who  by  sacrifice 
and  achievement,  had  already  won  a  distinguished  position 
in  the  denomination.  Reared  a  poor  boy  in  Pickens  county, 
Alabama,  and  having  but  slender  advantages,  he  made  con- 
ditions possible  to  equip  himself  for  great  usefulness.  At 
this  time,  he  was  the  pastor  at  Gonzales,  where  he  served  the 
church  for  seven  years,  and  when  he  left,  the  church  was 
solidly  entrenched  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  with  a  vast  out- 
look for  usefulness.  He  became  a  prominent  figure  in  the 
circles  of  the  denomination,  and  enjoyed  the  distinction  of 
being  the  first  ministerial  student  of  Baylor  University. 

The  work  of  the  two  conventions,  that  of  the  state, and 
that  of  eastern  Texas,  now  began  in  earnest.  Perhaps,  after 
all,  it  were  better  that  these  two  bodies  were  now  organized. 
The  spirit  of  rivalry  which  was  sought  to  be  engendered 
by  some,  in  the  inception  of  the  eastern  convention,  had  dis- 
appeared under  the  manipulation  of  consecrated  wisdom, 
and  had  given  place  to  a  commendable  vying  between  the 


HOWAKI)  PAYNE   COLLEGE.   BROWNWOOD,  TEXAS. 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  131 

two  bodies.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  acted  and 
reacted  on  each  other  at  a  time  when,  perhaps,  there  was 
needed  such  a  stimuhis  for  the  development  of  these  two 
great  sections  of  the  state.  It  seems  that  the  results  justify 
this  conclusion,  just  as  it  was  timely  for  all  to  coalesce,  at 
a  period  when  unity  was  more  essential  to  success  than 
division.  In  all  the  upheav-als  through  which  the  denomina- 
tion has  passed,  there  has  been  the  evident  guide  of  the  hand 
of  Jehovah.  For  the  time,  it  ma\'  not  have  seemed  wise  that 
divergences  should  come,  nor  that  storms  should  now  and 
then  break  over  the  denomination,  but  no  people  have  ever 
been  more  divinely  guided  than  have  been  the  Baptists  of 
Texas.  God's  thoughts  are  not  as  man's,  neither  are  his 
ways  like  the  ways  of  man.  As  a  distinct  body,  taking  to 
itself  a  distinct  territory,  the  association  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  state  felt  impelled  to  vindicate  its  voluntary  procedure. 
This  led  to  the  forth-putting  of  efifort  wdiich  perhaps  would 
not  have  been  under  original  conditions.  Had  it  entered  the 
field  as  a  combatant,  as  was  first  contemplated,  the  results 
would  have  been  injurious,  but  the  prevalence  of  wise  coun- 
sel in  its  inception,  gave  to  it  a  pace  and  a  place  in  which 
its  efforts  would  contribute  to  divine  glory,  and  finally  enable 
it  to  become  an  agent  in  the  fusion  of  the  separate  bodies 
into  a  mighty  wdiole.  More  than  once,  attention  has  been 
called  to  the  fact  that  the  Texas  Baptist  brotherhood  has 
never  lacked  for  appropriate  leadership  in  the  different  eras 
of  its  eventful  history.  Indeed,  the  assignment  of  men  to 
the  spheres  for  which  they  were  peculiarly  fitted,  when  the 
crises  came,  and  when  peculiar  gifts  were  needed,  seems  a 
distinct  feature  in  Texas  Baptist  history.  It  is  not  urged 
that  they  were  better  than  others,  but  the  fact  remains  that 
the  denomination,  not  even  from  the  beginning,  has  ever 
been  wanting  in  men  of  rare  consecration  and  wisdom. 
Whatever  the  future  of  the  denomination  may  be,  this  fact 
runs  backward  like  a  golden  thread  through  the  fabric  of 
our  denominational  history,  with  a  purity  and  brightness 
which  it  is  impossible  to  disregard. 

It  was  several  years  after  the  organization  of  the  East- 
ern Texas  Convention,  before  it  got  fairly  afoot  and  was 
able  to  accomplish  much.     Factional  differences  among  the 


133  HISTORY    or    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

members  of  the  bodv  retarded  the  work.  A  second  session 
of  the  body  was  held  during?  the  year  1855,  the  latter  being 
in  November,  at  Henderson.  Reports  and  resolutions  look- 
ing more  to  the  future  than  to  the  brief  history  of  the  past, 
consumed  the  time  of  the  session  at  Henderson.  Among 
the  steps  taken  was  that  of  looking  to  the  founding  of  a 
school  for  girls  in  eastern  Texas.  The  question  was  re- 
ferred to  a  committee  for  settlement,  which  committee  was 
to  report  at  the  following  session.  Since  the  meeting  held 
during  the  preceding  May,  $40  had  been  collected  for  con- 
ventional purposes,  and  $32  for  missions.  The  association 
was  concerned  about  the  growth  of  population  on  the  eastern 
border  of  the  state,  and  recognized  its  obligation  to  give  heed 
to  the  call  which  Providence  was  making.  The  body  was 
fortunate  in  the  possession  of  men  like  Tucker.  Witt,  Clem- 
mons  and  D.  B.  Morrill,  men  of  wisdom  and  of  wide  views, 
in  a  region  where  just  such  were  needed. 

During  this  year,  there  came  to  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
state,  a  young  man  from  Alabama,  who  was  destined  to  be 
of  great  service  to  the  denomination.  H.  M.  Burroughs,  who 
was  then  only  about  twenty  years  old,  reached  the  village 
of  Palestine,  in  the  fall  of  1855.  Here  he  resided  for  two 
or  three  years,  when  he  moved  westward.  At  Palestine  he 
met  M.  V.  Smith,  who  was  just  then  beginning  to  preach. 
Both  these  played  conspicuous  parts  in  the  development  of 
the  denomination  in  Texas.  Mr.  Burroughs  did  valuable 
service  in  the  regions  of  Lampasas.  Luling  and  other  por- 
tions of  the  state,  and  became  one  of  the  officials  of  the  State 
Convention. 

In  December,  1855,  the  first  diploma  given  to  a  young 
lady  graduate  at  Baylor  University,  was  awarded  to  Miss 
Mary  Gentry  Kavanaugh. 

With  the  year  1856  came  the  presidential  election,  which 
brought  into  sharper  issue  the  opposing  sides  of  the  question 
of  slavery.  Events  were  gradually  converging  toward  an 
inevitable  clash  of  arms.  Still,  the  country  was  prosperous, 
and  no  part  of  it  was  more  so  than  Texas.  The  two  great 
modern  civilizers,  the  newspaper  and  the  railroad,  were  be- 
ginning to  wield  an  influence  in  the  state,  and  gave  promise 
of  possibilities  that  were  boundless.     A  strikingly  evident 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  133 

change  was  coming  over  the  entire  land  in  the  prosperity 
which  everywhere  prevailed,  and  which,  while  it  stiffened 
confidence,  was  menaced  by  the  distant  rumble  of  coming 
war.  There  were  not  wanting  some  who  felt  that  it  was 
inevitable,  and  the  portents  were  regarded  with  great  con- 
cern. 

With  the  rapid  populating  of  the  state,  and  the  just  as 
rapid  adjustment  of  communities  into  thriving  and  peaceful 
settlements,  the  Baptist  cause  was  settling  into  a  level  of 
uniformiity,  with  nothing  unusual  to  vary  the  ongoing  prog- 
ress. Now  and  then  a  movement  of  promise  would  be 
undertaken  in  a  populous  region,  but  conditions  in  Texas 
had  reached  such  a  stage,  that  measures  as  well  as  men  had 
to  vindicate  their  merit  before  they  would  command  public 
confidence.  In  this  connection  may  be  mentioned  an  educa- 
tional movement,  which,  though  beginning  under  conditions 
unpretentious  enough  in  themselves,  was  destined  to  become 
an  influence  in  denominational  life  second  to  none  other. 
Prompted  by  the  progress  elsewhere  prevailing  in  denomina- 
tional circles,  and  appreciating  the  necessity  of  the  creation 
of  scholastic  advantages  for  the  rising  youth,  the  Trinity 
River  Association,  as  early  as  1855,  took  the  first  step  toward 
the  founding  of  a  school  of  learning  suited  to  existing  needs 
in  the  growjng  village  of  Waco.  The  conditions  under 
which  the  school  originated  were  infantile  enough,  but  what- 
ever other  deficiencies  existed,  they  were  atoned  for  by  the 
ambitious  name  given  the  embryonic  seat  of  learning — the 
Trinity  River  High  Male  School.  Even  though  the  founders 
were  not  sufficiently .  discriminative  to  recognize  the  impor- 
tance of  a  transposition  of  certain  terms,  in  the  name  as- 
signed, in  order  to  avoid  a  ludicrous  ambiguity,  they  were 
men  who  meant  execution  of  purpose.  They  were  deter- 
mined to  give  to  their  children  the  advantages  which  had 
been  denied  themselves.  In  meeting  the  urgency  of  a  pres- 
ent necessity,  these  hardy  pioneersmen  little  dreamed  of  the 
destined  evolution  of  a  school,  the  influence  of  which,  in  its 
products,  would  rank  with  that  of  the  great  institutions  of 
the  country.  In  its  initial  steps,  this  infant  enterprise  was 
nurtured  and  guided  in  the  Baptist  Church  of  Waco,  and 
was  at  first  presided  over  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  S.  G.  O'Bryan. 


134  HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

The  president  of  the  first  Board  of  Trustees  was  J.  W. 
Speight,  the  usefiihiess  and  intluence  of  whom  deserves 
more  than  a  bare  mention  of  his  name,  liy  dint  of  merit  he 
was  for  many  years  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  citizens 
of  Waco.  Favored  with  a  Hberal  education  and  with  a  force- 
ful utterance,  his  voice  and  pen  were  often  employed  to  great 
advantage  in  the  promotion  of  public  good,  and  in  the  prog- 
ress of  the  interests  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  He  was 
exactly  fitted  to  the  denominational  conditions  arising  in  a 
rapidly  growing  field,  such  as  Waco  and  its  surroundings 
were.  In  his  local  church,  as  well  as  in  the  aspiring  schoal, 
in  the  district  association,  and  finally  in  the  larger  body  of 
the  (jeneral  Association,  his  broad  and  liberal  spirit  contrib- 
uted immensely  to  their  promotion. 

The  ninth  session  of  the  State  Convention  in  1856  was 
signalized  by  its  meeting  again  at  the  place  of  its  birth, 
Anderson,  which  at  that  time  was  one  of  the  most  influential 
of  the  denominational  centers  of  the  state.  The  convention 
had  grown  in  importance,  and  in  its  return  to  its  natal  place, 
was  possessed  of  a  vigorous,  progressive  and  commanding 
body  of  Christian  gentlemen.  James  Huckins  was  again 
made  president,  and  G.  W.  Baines.  R.  C.  Burleson  and  H.  L. 
Graves,  vice  presidents,  Horace  Clarke,  recording  secretary, 
and  A.  Daniel,  corresponding  secretary.  The  convention 
was  largely  attended,  and  the  spirit  which  animated  it  was 
excellent.  The  most  cheering  report  came  from  Baylor 
I'niversity,  the  enrollment  of  which  was  now  240  in  both 
the  departments  for  the  sexes.  Improvement  and  enlarge- 
ment of  the  buildings  were  continued  in  order  to  meet  the 
demands  of  continued  growth.  The  influence  of  the  school 
had  gone  far  beyond  Texas,  and  students  were  present  from 
a  number  of  states.  The  reports  from  all  quarters  were 
good.  Already  Texas  had  become  the  adopted  home  of 
many  from  remote  and  dififerent  nationalities,  as  was  shown 
by  ]\Iissionary  Kiefer.  who  was  laboring  among  the  Ger- 
mans, and  who  reported  that  there  were  already  30,000  of 
his  people  residents  of  Texas.  This  was  at  once  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  problems  im])Osed  on  the  convention  to 
solve,  especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  ^Ir.  Kiefer  re- 
ported that  more  than  one-half  of  his  nationality  in  Texas 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  135 

had  renounced  the  divinity  of  Christ  and  the  inspiration  of 
the  Scriptures.  In  addition  to  this,  it  was  stated  that  six 
imported  Cathohc  priests,  some  of  whom  could  not 
speak  EngHsh,  were  laboring  among  these  Germans.  Be- 
sides these,  there  were  twenty  Lutheran  preachers  laboring 
among  them.  With  commendable  enterprise  the  Methodists 
had  founded,  at  Galveston,  a  denominational  paper  published 
in  the  German  language. 

Attention  was  called  to  the  fact  that  there  were  40,000 
negro  slaves  in  Texas,  many  of  whom  had  been  imported 
direct  from  Africa.  No  little  interest  was  aroused  in  behalf 
of  the  enslaved  population,  and  the  report  on  that  subject 
urged  every  church  and  minister  to  diligence  in  the  spiritual 
elevation  of  the  slave.  The  irrepressible  T.  J.  Pilgrim,  the 
father  of  the  Sunday-school  in  Texas,  was  present  and 
aroused  fresh  enthusiasm  by  his  advocacy  of  that  interest. 
The  Texas  Baptist  was  in  a  healthy  condition,  as  it  had  been 
adopted  as  the  organ  of  both  the  general  bodies,  and  its 
circulation  had  increased  to  fifteen  hundred.  At  this  time 
the  paper  was  committed  entirely  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Baines 
as  sole  editor  and  proprietor,  with  the  sole  requirement  that 
he  should  furnish  the  denomination  with  a  paper. 

The  veteran  missionary,  N.  T.  Byars,  whose  work  was 
now^  confined  to  the  evangelization  of  the  Indians,  while 
doing  most  effective  work,  was  inadequately  supported,  but 
the  board  was  crippled  in  its  efforts,  because  of  the  insuffi- 
cient means  in  the  treasury.  During  the  year,  there  had 
been  collected  on  the  field  $2,542.66,  and  many  interests 
were  languishhig  because  of  the  continued  inadequacy  of 
means. 

The  harmonious  session  held  at  Anderson  gave  increased 
vigor  to  the  work  on  the  field,  as  the  messengers  returned 
to  the  resumption  of  their  labors.  The  Eastern  Texas  Con- 
vention was  held  at  JMarshall,  in  November,  1856,  and  the 
proceedings  showed  that  the  body  was  still  in  a  formative 
stage.  The  plans  were  prospective  rather  than  actual. 
There  was  a  lack  of  organization  and  of  aggressiveness. 
Three  or  four  men,  in  their  own  spheres,  were  laboring  to 
the  utmost,  but  the  effort  to  harmonize  all  the  churches  on 
a  common  basis  of  action,  was  not  so  easy.    However,  a  vig- 


UEV.   J.  M.  GADDY. 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  137 

orous  effort  was  made  at  Marshall  to  infuse  new  life  into 
the  organization  by  the  appointment  of  a  financial  secretary 
in  the  person  of  Rev.  George  Tucker,  on  a  salary  of  $i,ooo. 

The  year  1857  brought  with  it  a  protracted  drought. 
Only  the  slightest  rains  fell  from  one  end  of  the  year  to  the 
other.  The  attendant  consequences  were  terrible,  water 
ceasing  from  the  streams,  then  from  the  springs,  and  finally 
from  the  wells.  Animals,  both  wild  and  domestic,  died  in 
great  numbers  and  the  air  was  laden  with  a  most  unsavory 
stench.  Sickness  among  the  people  ensued,  and  to  the 
horrors  of  the  general  situation  was  added  that  of  much 
personal  suft'ering.  The  grass  refused  to  grow  and  the 
trees  in  many  places  were  leafless.  The  earth  was  so  dry 
and  scorched  that  crops  were  a  total  failure,  and  the  com- 
modities of  life  had  to  be  brought  from  distant  ports,  at 
great  expense.  The  limy  earth  was  rent  in  great  fissures, 
wide  and  deep,  which  rendered  overland  travel  perilous. 
A  dearth  so  phenomenal  brought  matters  to  a  standstill,  and 
imposed  fearful  privations  on  the  people. 

Still,  it  was  a  year  of  singular  prosperity  to  the  Baptist 
cause.  The  work  was  unusually  successful  in  all  the  spheres 
of  Baptist  endeavor.  The  history  of  Christianity  shows 
that  God's  cause  prospers  more  during  seasons  of  adversity 
than  during  those  of  prosperity.  It  was  a  year  of  reliance 
— of  faith  in  God.  The  very  extremity  to  which  the  people 
of  the  Lord  were  reduced,  evoked  trust,  and  trust  never 
fails  of  wholesome  spiritual  results.  Zion  travailed,  and 
sons  and  daughters  were  born.  If  it  was  an  era  of  ma- 
terial adversity,  it  was  one  of  spiritual  prosperity.  More 
money  was  raised  and  reported  for  all  causes,  than  during 
any  previous  year.  Baptiht  schools  were  better  attended, 
and  there  was  more  marked  activity  than  during  any  year 
before.  This  was  shown  by  the  organization  of  two  district 
associations  during  the  year— the  Austin  and  Mt.  Zion — 
thirteen  churches  entering  into  each.  The  former  was 
organized  at  Austin,  where  only  a  few  years  before,  a  small 
church  was  struggling  for  an  existence.  Now,  the  region 
round  about  had  become  populous,  and  the  churches  had 
multiplied  and  grown. 

The    State   Convention,   which   was   appointed   to  meet 


138  IIISTORV    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

this  year  at  Caldwell,  was,  for  some  reason  changed  to 
iluntsville,  where  the  body  met  on  October  24,  1857.  H.  L. 
(iraves  was  made  president;  G.  W.  Baines,  Hosea  Garrett 
and  J.  W.  D.  Creath,  vice  presidents ;  W.  A.  Montgomery, 
corresponding  secretary,  and  H.  Clarke,  recording  secre- 
tary. The  chief  concern  of  the  convention,  at  this  time,  was 
Uaylor  University.  From  it  was  to  be  derived  the  future 
ministry  of  the  state,  and  its  healthful  maintenance  was 
regarded  as  indispensable.  Its  success  was  most  gratifying, 
as  in  all  the  departments  of  the  school  there  were  enrolled, 
during  the  past  session,  328  students.  The  law  dei)artment, 
created  the  year  before,  was  doing  most  gratifying  work. 
The  results  contemplated  by  the  endowment  of  the  two 
chairs  of-  the  president  and  of  natural  sciences  were  not 
being  realized.  The  policy  adopted  for  the  management  of 
the  funds  relating  to  this  matter  was  a  mistaken  one,  and 
brought  inevitable  failure.  The  principal  w'as  allowed  to 
remain  in  the  hands  of  the  original  donors,  and  stated  pay- 
ment of  interest  on  the  fund  was  all  that  w'as  required. 
Such  inevitable  changes  came  that  the  fund  was  unavail- 
able and  unreliable.  Some  of  the  donors  had  died,  others 
had  become  negligent  and  indifferent,  and  as  the  matter  was 
piirely  voluntary,  some  repudiated  the  obligation  altogether. 
This  left  the  fund  in  a  precarious  condition,  and  furnished 
no  basis  of  reliance  for  future  calculations  of  income. 

Enthusiastic  comment  was  made  on  the  merits  of  TJic 
Texas  Baptist  to  which  the  denominational  strides,  taken 
in  the  face  of  seemingly  insuperable  difficulties,  were  chiefly 
due.  The  dignity  and  loftiness  of  tone  which  characterized 
its  columns  made  it  a  w-elcome  visitor  in  all  Baptist  house- 
holds, and  its  popularity  had  overborne  many  of  the  obstruc- 
tions which  had  for  years  prevailed.  A  paper  of  less 
cogency  would  have  exercised  only  a  measurable  influ- 
ence, but  the  vigor  and  incisiveness  of  Baines,  coupled  with 
the  wisdom  of  utterance,  made  The  Texas  Baptist  an  agent, 
not  only  popular,  but  prolific  of  unsjieakable  good.  The 
editor  of  a  solidly  religious  paper  multiplies  himself  mani- 
fold, and  reproduces  that  which  his  journal  conveys  in  con- 
crete character  and  good  works.  This  conception  of  the 
religious  journalist  was  equaled  in  the  elder  Baines.  Though 


SUNSHINE    AND    SHADOW  139 

the  year  had  been  the  hardest  in  the  history  of  the  conven- 
tion, the  receipts  were  the  largest,  the  collections  amounting 
to  $3,480.  This  session  of  the  convention  marked  the  first 
decade  of  its  history.  From  being  a  handful,  it  had  grown 
into  an  army.  Its  boundaries  had  been  greatly  extended, 
the  churches  had  been  immensely  strengthened,,  and  it  had 
made  possible  an  illimitable  work  in  the  state  of  the  Lone 
Star.  Many  of  the  old  veterans,  whose  voices  had  been 
lifted  in  the  convention  ten  years  before,  had  fallen  on 
sleep ;  others,  shattered  in  health,  but  stronger  in  faith,  lin- 
gered on  the  shore,  to  cheer  and  stimulate,  and  to  join  in  the 
general  rejoicing  of  denominational  prosperity. 

Amidst  so  much  harmony  and  advancement,  it  was  un- 
fortunate that  a  serious  juncture  arose  about  this  time  in 
the  university  circles  of. Baylor.  President  Burleson,  pre- 
suming that  he  was  the  chief  executive  of  the  institution 
in  all  the  departments,  exercised  his  functions  accordingly. 
Rev.  Horace  Clarke,  the  principal  of  the  college  for  girls, 
denying  such  authority  to  the  president,  declined  to  recog- 
nize it.  The  result  of  this  was  friction  and  disorder.  For 
three  years,  this  continued  with  constant  clashing  of  author- 
ity and  confusion  of  discipline.  The  unfortunate  differ- 
ences produced  divided  sentiment  among  the  students  and 
the  people  of  Independence,  and  so  serious  did  the  situation 
become  that  it  claimed  the  earnest  attention  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees.  The  troubles  were  from  time  to  time  allayed, 
but  would  now  and  then  find  an  occasional  vent,  much  to 
the  detriment  of  the  school,  until,  in  1857,  ^^  became  neces- 
sary to  sunder  the  schools  for  the  sexes,  making  them  two 
distinct  schools  under  different  governments.  This  was  the 
first  link  in  a  chain  of  causes  which  led  to  the  ultimate 
severance  of  President  Burleson  from  the  school  at  Inde- 
pendence, and  of  his  removal,  from  choice,  to  Waco,  where 
he  built  an  institution  of  learning,  which  is  the  glory  and 
pride  of  the  Baptist  denomination  of  Texas. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    CALM    BEFORE    THE    STORM. 

During  the  years  which  intervened  between  the  period 
now  under  contemplation,  and  that  when  the  storm  of  war 
burst  over  the  land,  the  construction  of  railroads  was  a 
subject  of  absorbing,  popular  interest.  Lines  w^ere  pro- 
jected in  dififerent  directions,  but  the  one  which  gave  prom- 
ise of  greatest  usefulness  was  that  of  the  Houston  &  Texas 
Central,  which  was  built  to  Milligan  before  the  Civil  War 
began.  No  less  important  was  that  which  was  known  as 
the  Austin  Branch,  a  deflection  of  the  road  named,  which 
was  intended  to  penetrate  the  country  to  the  state  capital. 
It  seems  that  the  promoters  of  the  line  were  desirous  of 
passing  Independence,  and  of  penetrating  that  part  of  Wash- 
ington county,  noted  from  the  beginning,  for  its  beauty  and 
fertility,  but  the  concessions  necessary  to  secure  the  passage 
of  the  road  through  that  particular  region,  were  not  made, 
and  it  consequently  turned  elsewhere.  This  left  Independ- 
ence aside  from  a  great  thoroughfare,  and  put  it  at  an  im- 
mense disadvantage,  as  a  center  of  education.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  say  w'hat  the  results  would  have  been,  had  the  road 
gone  by  Independence,  but  there  is  little  doubt  that  its  fail- 
ure to  do  so,  precipitated  the  movement  for  the  removal  of 
the  school  to  some  other  point.  The  construction  of  the 
road  might  not  have  retained  the  school  at  'Independence, 
but  certain  it  is,  that  its  failure  to  procure  its  passage  by  the 
town,  w^as  one  of  the  chief  causes  of  its  removal.  Other 
causes  were  operating  to  the  detriment  of  the  development 
of  the  southern  end  of  the  state.  Once  the  seat  of  empire, 
and  the  scene  of  struggle  as  well  as  of  independence,  its 
original  glory  was  already  departing  for  a  season,  as  the 
fertile  lands  were  taken  toward  the  north.  Nor  did  a  reac- 
tion come,  till  the  population  had  spread  elsewhere  through- 

140 


THE  CALM  BEFOEE  THE  STOKM        141 

out  the  state,  and  the  varied  population  found  itself  seeking 
the  varied  conditions  of  southern  Texas.  So  when  the  Cen- 
tral Railroad  turned  aside  from  Independence,  and  left  it 
a  considerable  distance  in  the  country,  its  hope  to  become 
then  a  permanent  center  of  education,  was  doomed.  None 
foresaw  this  more  clearly  than  President  Burleson,  who 
urged  that  the  necessary  concessions  be  made,  in  order  to 
procure  the  road,  but  his  counsel  was  of  no  avail.  This  was 
an  additional  link  in  the  causes  which  led  him  to  go  else- 
where. Still,  for  many  years,  Baylor  remained  at  Independ- 
ence, and  around  the  institution  clustered  the  affection  of 
the  Texas  Baptists.  It  was  the  cherished  object  of  many 
prayers,  of  untold  sacrifice  and  of  unspeakable  labor.  In  all 
these,  President  Burleson  shared.  Most  of  his  litt'.e  fortune 
went  into  the  institution  of  which  he  was  the  loyal  head. 
Nor  is  any  one  worthier  of  a  higher  place  in  the  affections 
of  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  than  this  man,  whose  toil  was  unre- 
mitting, whose  zeal  knew  no  abatement,  and  whose  ambi- 
tion was  to  crown  the  eminence,  on  which  stood  the  college 
buildings,  with  one  of  the  great  schools  of  the  country. 

Unlike  the  preceding  year,  that  of  1858  was  ushered  in 
as  one  of  great  material  prosperity,  and  it  proved  to  be  one 
of  equal  religious  prosperity  to  the  Baptists  of  the  state. 
Many  of  the  gravest  difficulties  had  been  removed,  harmony 
prevailed  in  the  councils  of  the  denomination,  the  people 
were  becoming  more  generous  in  their  gifts  to  all  causes, 
progress  was  astir,  and  a  tone  of  hopefulness  existed  every- 
where. The  two  conventions  were  laboring  side  by  side  in 
concord,  and  not  a  ripple  of  disturbance  was  known.  On 
the  borders,  in  all  directions,  the  missionary  was  as  untiring 
as  his  predecessors  had  been,  when  first  the  gospel  was 
heard  on  the  plains  of  Texas.  Just  as  active  were  the 
forces  in  the  interior.  Alongside  the  growth  of  the  towns, 
was  that  of  the  churches.  New  and  modern  meeting  houses 
were  displacing  the  old  structures,  which  had  served  as 
sacred  temples,  for  years  together.  Conditions  were  becom- 
ing staider  and  more  settled,  and  a  comity  of  interest  and 
sentiment  was  binding  the  members  of  churches  into  sym- 
pathetic union  of  effort.  Even  in  the  country,  commodious 
and   comfortable   church    buildings    were    erected,   pastors 


143  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

became  more  settled,  and  the  work  of  Christian  activity  was 
progressing. 

The  Baptist  ministry  of  the  state  was  now  far  in  advance 
of  anything  which  it  had  been  in  the  past.  The  leading 
churches  were  ably  supplied,  and  the  membership  of  each 
was  rapidly  increasing.  Great  meetings  had  become  com- 
mon in  the  state,  with  an  annual  increase  that  gave  promise 
of  a  coming  denomination  of  immeasurable  power.  Baptists 
were  progressive,  and  were  not  lacking  in  the  zeal  of  press- 
ing their  claims,  as  a  people,  on  the  growing  population  of 
the  state.  It  was  an  era  of  denominational  prosperity.  The 
growth  of  Baylor  University  was  occasioning  real  embar- 
rassment, because  the  increasing  patronage  was  crowding 
it  beyond  its  capacity  of  accommodation.  President  Burle- 
son and  his  coadjutors  were  gradually  elevating  the  standard 
of  the  school,  and  making  it  more  conspicuous  as  a  seat  of 
learning.  Indeed,  the  several  departments  of  denomina- 
tional work  seemed  to  be  vying  with  each  other  in  the  prog- 
ress which  was  being  made. 

The  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  State  Convention  having 
been  changed  from  the  summer  to  the  fall,  it  rhet  on  October 
23,  1858,  in  the  town  of  Independence.  R.  C.  Burleson  was 
chosen  president ;  J.  W.  D.  Creath,  George  Tucker  and 
Hosea  Garrett,  vice  presidents ;  H.  Clarke,  recording  secre- 
tary, and  W.  A.  Montgomery,  corresponding  secretary.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  second  decade  of  the  history  of 
the  convention.  The  progress  of  the  year's  work,  was  ex- 
hibited in  the  reports  of  the  eleven  missionaries,  who  had 
gone  into  every  possible  quarter  of  the  state.  P'ourteen  new 
churches  were  constituted,  the  baptism  of  three  hundred 
and  eleven  persons,  together  with  the  collection  of 
$3,353.59,  represented  a  portion  of  the  labor  performed. 

For  the  first  time,  the  c|uestion  was  raised  at  this  session 
of  the  body,  of  the  legal  relations  of  Baylor  University  to 
the  convention.  The  matter  was  submitted  to  a  commit- 
tee which,  after  wrestling  with  it  for  a  time,  reported  its 
inahUity  to  deal  with  a  question  of  so  profound  import,  and 
recommended  that  another  committee  be  appointed  to  pro- 
cure a  legal  opinion  and  report  at  tha  next  session  of  the 
body.     This   questian  originated   in   the   agitatj'on   of  the 


THE    CALM    BEFOEE    THE    STORM  143 

removal  of  the  school  from  Independence,  for  though  the 
school  remained  in  its  original  location  for  a  number  of 
years,  the  agitation  of  taking  it  elsewhere,  was  already  agog. 
In  order  to  fortify  themselves  against  any  possible  con- 
tingency, the  Board  of  Trustees  sought  to  settle  the  ques- 
tion in  the  most  summary  way  by  the  adoption  of  the 
following  resolution  : 

"Resolved,  That  the  trustees  do  hereby  declare  that  the 
removal  of  this  university  is  both  inconsistent  with  our 
charter  and  impracticable,  and  we  consider  its  location  per- 
manent and  not  debatable."  This  ipse  dixit  on  the  part  of 
the  anxious  board  did  not  prevent  continued  discussion, 
which  was  stayed  during  the  war,  but,  in  due  time,  renewed. 
The  discussion  at  this  time  seemed  to  be  due  to  two  chief 
causes :  the  remoteness  of  the  school  from  the  new  railroad, 
and  the  internal  feuds  which  had  been-  engendered  in  the 
school.  President  Burleson  had  taken  it  as  a  grievous 
reflection  on  him,  that  the  school  had  been  sundered  into  two 
parts,  and  placed  under  two  separate  heads  of  government. 
While  the  friction  was  partly  relieved.  President  Burleson 
chafed  under  the  restrictions,  and  never  really  recovered 
from  them.  However,  in  1858,  it  seems  that  a  mutual  and 
amicable  settlement  was  reached  between  President  Burle- 
son and  the  board,  and  a  calmer  outlook  was  promised. 
This  tranquillity  was  somewhat  disturbed  in  1859,  when 
Doctor  Burleson  was  offered  the  presidency  of  Union  Uni- 
versity, IMurfreesboro,  Tennessee,  to  succeed  Doctor  Eaton, 
who  had  recently  died.  The  committee  from  Murfrees- 
boro  which  negotiated  with  Doctor  Burleson  was  composed 
of  Doctors  J.  R.  Graves  and  J.  \V.  King.  This,  was 
acknowdedged  bv  Doctor  Burleson  to  be  a  tempting  offer, 
and  it  was;  for  a  time,  thought  that  he  would  accept,  but 
he  finally  decided  to  remain  at  Independence.  It  was  now 
agreed  on  all  hands,  to  co-operate  together,  for  a  greater 
Baylor,  and  for  the  erection  of  still  another  building  to  the 
university  proper. 

A  broader  policy  was  begun,  so  as  to  bring  the  university 
into  co-operative  conjunction  with  both  the  general  bodies 
of  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  the  one  in  the  east  and  the  other 
in  the  w^est.     Still,  the  meeting  of  the  convention  at  Waco, 


REV'.    J.    FRANK    NORUIS,    MANAGING    EDITOR    THE    BAPTIST 
STANDARD,   DALLAS,   TEXAS. 

(Born  Sept.  18.  1877.  at  Dadeville.  Ala.  Was  reared  on  farm,  near 
Hubbard  City.  Texas.  After  teaching  three  years,  entered  Baylor  Univer- 
sity at  the  age  of  21  ;  graduated  with  the  A.  B.  degree.  During  his 
college  course  he  won  two  important  debates.  Entered  ministry  just 
before  going  to  Baylor,  and  duiing  his  school  course  was  pastor  at  Mt. 
Calm  :  1903,  entered  the  S.  B.  T.  S.  at  Louisville  :  received  degree  Master 
of  Theology  in  two  years  ;  has  been  at  McKinney  Ave.  Church,  Dallas, 
since  finishing  at  the  Seminary.  Thirteen  members  met  the  new  pastor  in 
a  temporary  structure  on  a  leased  lot  the  first  Sunday.  Today  that 
church  has  a  membership  of  350.  with  church  property  worth  $35,000  : 
preached  Convention  sermon  at  Waco  in  1906;  is  President  and  Manager 
of  The  Baptist  Standard,  which  has  the  largest  circulation  of  any  paper 
in  the  Baptist  world.) 


THE    CALM    BEFOEE    THE    STORM  145 

in  1859,  ^^'ss  "Ot  unconducive  to  future  derangements.  The 
school  at  Waco  was  assuming  proportions  of  greater  im- 
portance, and  it  bade  fair  to  become  a  rival  of  the  original 
school  at  Independence.  It  is  doubtful  if  President  Burle- 
son himself  ever  knew  what  effect  his  visit  to  Waco,  in  1859, 
to  attend  the  State  Convention,  had  on  his  future  plans  and 
purposes.  The  convention  met  on  October  22,  1859.  The 
officers  were :  R.  C.  Burleson,  president ;  H.  L.  Graves,  J. 
W.  D.  Creath  and  George  W.  Baines,  Sr.,  vice  presidents ; 
O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  M.  Ross,  cor- 
responding secretary.  Doctor  J.  R.  Graves  was  present  at 
this  meeting,  and  by  special  request  preached  the  mission- 
ary sermon.  The  meeting  was  well  attended,  and  the  reports 
from  all  quarters,  encouraging.  During  the  year,  the  special 
committee  having  in  hand  the  matter  of  settlement  of  the 
question  of  the  relations  between  Baylor  University  and  the 
convention,  had  been  seriously  considering  the  question,  and 
submitted  an  exhaustive  report,  which  was  printed,  and  a 
thousand  copies  distributed.  A  recent  gift  of  $1,500  to  the 
convention,  by  Mrs.  Eliza  Vickers,  for  mission  purposes, 
necessitated  the  incorporation  of  the  convention,  which  fact 
received  appropriate  attention.  Baylor  University  was  re- 
ported as  having  the  largest  attendance  of  its  history.  As 
many  as  350  students  in  all  departments,  had  been  enrolled 
during  the  year,  among  whom  were  eight  ministerial  stu- 
dents. At  the  last  commencement  sixteen  law  diplomas  had 
been  conferred.  About  $1,200  had  been  raised  to  purchase 
additional  apparatus  for  the  school,  and  buildings  of  stone 
had  been  projected,  the  contemplated  cost  of  which  would 
be  about  $30,000.  One  of  these  was  already  in  course  of 
construction.  As  far  as  the  school  at  Independence  was 
concerned,  its  prospects  were  brighter  than  ever  before.  In 
fact,  the  work  in  all  the  departments  of  denominational 
work  was  steadily  expanding.  The  twelve  missionaries  of 
the  convention  had  baptized  300  persons,  and  organized  thir- 
teen Sunday-schools,  and  twenty  new  churches.  Though 
there  was  a  debt  on  the  board  of  $519.48.  the  work  had 
been  so  gratifying,  and  so  eminently  satisfactory,  that  the 
amount  was  promptly  raised.  The  matter  of  Sunday-schools 
received  unusual  attention  at  this  session,  and  the  impor- 


146  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

tance  of  establishing  libraries  for  the  schools  was  empha- 
sized. The  Texas  Baptist  was  still  growing  in  power  and 
influence,  and  had  become  the  most  influential  agency  in  the 
state.  Great  confidence  was  expressed  in  the  future  success 
of  the  work  of  the  convention,  and  greater  harmony  never 
prevailed  in  any  body.  This  convention  was  destined,  in  its 
results,  to  exert  a  might}'  influence  on  the  future  of  the 
denomination  in  the  state.  The  facts  establishing  this  state- 
ment will  be  developed  in  the  future  years  of  the  body. 

As  the  history  of  the  denomination  broadens,  it  will  be- 
come necessary  to  confine  our  attention  more  to  the  general 
current  of  affairs,  and  less  to  individuals  and  localities.  Great 
momentum  was  now  given  to  the  work  in  all  spheres  of 
activity.  The  limits  of  Baptist  activity  had  been  pushed 
sufficiently  far  westward,  to  enable  the  constitution  of  a  new 
and  large  association,  which  has  become  one  of  the  most 
commanding  in  the  state,  the  San  Antonio.  Only  a  few 
years  before,  this  region,  now  covered  by  the  territory  of 
the  San  Antonio  Association,  was  hardly-contested  mission- 
ary ground.  But  the  missionary  had  been  abroad  in  western 
Texas,  and  the  result  was  the  multiplication  of  churches,  so 
that  it  became  necessary  to  found  an  association.  To  the 
zeal  and  wisdom  of  one  man,  more  than  any  other,  is  the 
success  of  the  cause  in  the  city  of  San  Antonio  due,  and 
that  man  is  J.  W.  D.  Creath.  His  heart  was  burdened,  for 
years,  with  the  cause  in  that  Romish  stronghold,  and  with 
an  ardor  unqvienched,  he  addressed  himself  to  the  work,  and 
ceased  not  till  it  was  accomplished.  With  Pauline  wis- 
dom he  recognized  the  fact,  that  having  San  Antonio  un- 
der the  sway  of  the  truth,  meant  much  for  the  region  round 
about. 

Scarcely  less  important  was  the  organization  of  the 
San  Marcos  Association,  during  the  same  year,  1838.  This 
last  association  was  largely,  if  not  entirely,  carved  out  of 
the  Colorado  Association.  During  the  same  year.  1858, 
four  other  associations  came  into  being,  all  of  which  lay 
west  of  the  Trinity  river,  namely :  Richland,  Leon  River, 
Brazos  River  and  Tryon. 

Meanwhile,  the  Baptists  of  eastern  Texas  were  slowly 
moving  apace  in  their  work.     They  were   still  intent   on 


THE    CALM    BEFORE    THE    STORM  147 

founding  a  school  of  learning,  the  cause  which  led  to  their 
severance  from  the  State  Convention.  Their  missionaries 
were  now  astir,  churches  were  being  built,  and  the  general 
work  of  the  denomination  was  being  pushed.  During  the 
year  1858.  three  of  their  efficient  workers  died — Jesse  Witt, 
Isaac  H.  Lane,  and  Matthias  Lepard.  Witt  was  a  man  of 
undoubted  ability,  of  cyclonic  eloquence,  of  ripe  judgment, 
and  of  deep  piety.  He  spent  almost  his  entire  ministerial 
career  in  eastern  Texas.  He  was  an  indispensable  agent 
of  good,  in  a  region  where  his  services  were  greatly  needed. 
The  Baptists  of  eastern  Texas  met  in  convention  in  the 
summer  of  1859,  in  the  town  of  Bonham,  when  the  follow- 
ing resolution,  bearing  on  a  subject  which  had  been  agitated 
for  years,  w^as  oiTered : 

"Resolved,  That  this  convention  take  into  consideration 
the  propriety  of  building  up  a  denominational  school  of 
such  character  as  will  meet  the  wants  of  the  denomination 
in  eastern  Texas.''  A  committee  of  fifteen  was  appointed 
to  select  the  location  for  such  a  school,  and  the  committee 
was  especially  charged  to  contract  no  debts  which  would 
involve  the  convention  in  pecuniary  liability.  The  political 
situation  in  Texas,  at  this  time,  was  not  without  some  sig- 
nificance to  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  General  Houston,  hav- 
ing closed  his  second  term  as  United  States  senator,  of- 
fered for  the  governorship  of  the  state,  on  an  independent 
ticket,  and  defeated  the  regular  Democratic  nominee  by  a 
large  majority.  It  was  most  fortunate  that  he  came  to  the 
gubernatorial  helm  at  such  a  time  as  this.  On  the  borders 
of  Texas,  depredations  were  being  committed,  alike  by  the 
Indians  and  the  Mexicans,  and  a  firm  will  was  needed  to 
stamp  out  such  disorders.  A  daring  Mexican,  named  Ne- 
pomicino  Cortina,  conceived  the  idea  of  conducting  a  ma- 
rauding expedition  from  Mexico  into  the  southwestern  part 
of  Texas,  at  the  head  of  four  hundred  freebooters.  Gover- 
nor Houston  appealing  to  President  Buchanan  for  aid. 
Colonel  Robert  E.  Lee  was  dispatched  with  a  body  of  troops, 
to  drive  out  Cortina  and  his  band,  and,  if  necessary,  to  pur- 
sue them  into  Mexico,  and  exterminate  them.  This  prompt 
action  on  the  part  of  the  national  government  led  to  the 
speedy  retirement  of  Cortina  and  his  band  across  the  Rio 


148  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Grande,  and  the  incident  closed.  On  the  north,  the  Indians 
gave  trouble,  when  Governor  Houston  ordered  out  a  de- 
tachment of  militia,  and  drove  them  back.  These  disturb- 
ances immediately  preceded  the  great  Civil  War,  which  was 
ardently  talked  of  in  i860.  For  more  than  a  generation, 
sectional  passion  had  run  riot,  placing  at  a  discount  the 
cooler  and  soberer  elements  of  the  two  regions.  North  and 
South.  It  is  not  necessary  to  name  the  causes  of  the  pro- 
tracted struggle,  and  only  to  allude,  in  passing,  to  the  effects 
of  secession.  In  the  intense  sectional  passion  which  swayed 
the  masses,  Texas  shared  with  the  other  states  of  the  South. 
During  the  year  i860,  little  else  than  politics  was  discussed. 
The  country  rang  with  impassioned  speech-making.  Every 
town,  city  and  even  every  hamlet,  was  the  center  of  political 
ferment,  where  politics  was  discussed,  and  speaking  wildly 
indulged  in.  Extravagant  predictions,  born  of  heated  pas- 
sion, were  made  concerning  the  results  of  the  war,  which 
was  now  inevitable.  The  nomination  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
was  the  darkest  portent  on  the  horizon  of  the  immediate 
future.  Should  he  be  elected,  the  struggle  would  certainly 
come.  Among  the  seething  masses  of  both  sections,  there 
moved  a  few  cool  spirits  who  would  have  averted  the  dis- 
aster, if  possible,  but  it  was  folly  to  interpose.  Among  those 
who  shared  in  the  desire  to  settle  the  sectional  differences, 
was  Governor  Houston.  Of  his  patriotism  there  was  no 
doubt,  because  it  had  been  tested  in  two  wars ;  of  his  loyalty 
and  devotion  to  the  South,  there  could  be  no  question,  for 
that  had  been  abundantly  proved ;  of  his  familiarity  with 
the  pending  discussion,  no  one  could  gainsay,  for  he  had 
shared  in  it  on  the  floor  of  the  senate.  He  regarded  the 
secession  movement  with  more  than  doubt ;  it  was  with  a 
feeling  akin  to  dismay.  Sharing  in  sentiment  with  him 
were  a  few,  as  devoted  Southerners  as  lived  beneath  our 
fervid  skies,  but  they  were  exceedingly  doubtful  of  the 
policy  of  secession. 

It  is  at  this  juncture  that  we  gain  the  first  glimpse  of  a 
majestic  figure  which,  for  considerably  more  than  a  genera- 
tion, has  moved  among  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  towering 
among  his  brethren,  loved  and  honored  by  all  who  are  capa- 
ble of  appreciating  genuine  greatness  and  goodness.    About 


THE    CALM    BEFOEE    THE    STOEM  149 

this  time,  there  was  a  tall  stripling  at  Baylor  University,  at 
Independence,  named  B.  H.  Carroll.  He  was  about  seven- 
teen or  eighteen  years  old,  and  was  easily  ranked  the  leader 
among  his  fellows.  A  youth  of  unusual  insight,  and  as  it 
proved,  of  foresight,  as  well,  a  young  man  of  a  wide  range 
of  independent  thought,  far  exceeding  in  its  compass  those 
about  him  in  scholastic  walks,  he  was,  even  now,  considered 
a  prodigy.  Independence  shared  in  the  intense  fervor  which 
burned  like  the  fires  of  the  volcano  throughout  the  South, 
but  beneath  all  this  storm  of  commotion,  young  Carroll  de- 
tected a  snare,  and  beyond  the  smoke  of  contest  he  foresaw 
disaster.  In  the  speech-making,  the  mania  of  which  had 
seized  on  the  people  of  Independence,  as  it  had  all  other 
places,  Harvey  Carroll  was  raised  to  a  goods  box  on  the 
corner  of  the  street,  in  Independence,  by  his  fellows,  to  make 
a  speech  on  the  pending  issue.  Surrounded  by  the  impetu- 
ous elements  of  secession,  this  tall,  beardless  youth  delivered 
a  speech  in  direct  opposition  to  the  sentiments  which  swayed 
the  surging  crowd  about  him,  with  reasoning  so  cogent,  and 
tongue  so  eloquent,  that  it  made  a  profound  impression. 
With  a  courage  that  would  have  done  credit  to  a  gladiator 
in  the  arena,  and  with  a  coolness  and  solemnity  that  chal- 
lenged the  admiration  of  those  against  whose  views  he  de- 
claimed, and  with  a  prophetic  ken  that  would  have  ranked 
him  with  the  most  sagacious  of  his  time,  this  young  man 
was  able  to  point  out  with  unerring  precision  the  folly  of 
secession,  its  ultimate  failure  in  dire  struggle,  and  to  pre- 
dict, in  detail,  its  fearful  consequences.  The  sentiments  from 
the  lips  of  the  boy  orator  found  a  vindication  in  the  history 
of  subsequent  events,  a  vindication  in  the  description  of 
events  as  literal  as  though  he  had  translated  him.self  to  the 
years  to  come,  and  was  speaking  from  the  future,  rather 
than  from  the  present.  These  sentiments  did  not  deter  him 
from  entering  the  ranks  of  the  army  of  the  Confederacy, 
and  from  rendering  most  valiant  service  in  the  famous 
Texas  Rangers.  At  different  times,  in  the  camps  of  his 
command,  where  for  diversion  and  personal  improvement, 
debating  societies  were  maintained,  he  repeated  the  same 
sentiments,  speaking  always  as  a  loyal  Southern  soldier,  and 
predicted  the  events  which  were  destined  to  occur  in  the 


150  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

issue  of  the  Urril)lc  struggle.  We  practicall)-  lose  sight  of 
him  for  a  ])eriod  of  time,  till  1869,  when  he  reappears  on 
the  scene,  to  continue  for  several  eventful  decades,  as  the 
most  conspicuous  figure  among  Texas  Baptists.  The  year 
i860  came  with  its  forebodings  of  darker  days.  The  air 
was  vibrant  with  the  voice  of  war. 

In  the  midst  of  this  prevailing  commotion,  the  Baptist 
cause  moved  right  on.  The  sagacious  among  the  Baptists 
foresaw  imn^ense  trouble,  v/hile  the  masses  were  inspired, 
rather  than  dismayed,  by  the  pending  conflict.  During  the 
two  years  of  1859-60,  Texas  was  visited  by  another  drought 
of  intolerable  intensity.  The  air  was  like  the  heat  of  a  burn- 
ing furnac^e.  Verdure  failed  from  the  fields,  and  the  cotton 
and  corn  became  as  tinder.  Birds  and  beasts  died  in  great 
numbers.  Planters  and  herdsmen  were  forced,  in  many  in- 
stances, to  drive  their  flocks  to  distant  regions  in  search  of 
water,  and  in  many  places  the  earth  was  riven  as  by  an 
earthcjuake.  The  drought  and  the  excitement  of  the  period 
had  a  most  telling  eft'ect  on  the  operations  of  the  missionary 
on  the  field,  and  only  $2,148  w^as  collected  for  all  purposes 
during  the  entire  year. 

It  was  in  the  midst  of  gloom  that  the  Convention  held 
its  annual  session,  in  i860.  It  was  held  at  Independence,  and 
organized  by  electing  Hosea  Garrett,  president:  J.  \\\  D. 
Creath,  W.  H.  Bayless  and  R.  H.  Taliaferro,  vice-presidents; 
O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  D.  R.  Wallace, 
corresponding  secretary .  While  there  were  evident  indi- 
cations of  demoralization  in  the  general  work,  there  was 
prosperity  at  Baylor  University,  the  enrollment  of  which, 
during  the  year,  was  375  pupils,  in  all  classes  and  depart- 
ments. During  the  year  the  law  department  had  sufifered  a 
serious  interruption  by  the  resignation  of  the  faculty  of 
that  school,  but  others  had  been  found  to  take  their  places, 
and  the  w'ork  went  on  as  before. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Rev.  James  Iluckins,  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Galveston,  retired  from  that  pastorate,  and 
accepted  the  charge  of  the  Wentworth  Street  Church  of 
Charleston,  South  Carolina.  So  extensive  had  been  the 
labors  of  this  godly  spirit  in  Galveston,  sharing  in  all  that 
was  promotive  of  good  in  the  city,  that  on  his  retirement 


THE    CALM    BEFOEE    THE    STOKM  151 

he  was  presented  with  a  handsome  silver  service.  This  was 
not  confined  to  the  church,  for  the  entire  community  joined 
in  the  tribute.  About  this  time  also,  Rev.  F.  M.  Law  re- 
moved from  Alabama  to  Texas.  He  located  first  in  Wash- 
ington county,  and  became  the  joint  pastor  of  the  churches 
at  Brenham  and  Providence.  His  name  will  be  so  conspicu- 
ous in  the  future  annals  here  recorded,  that  it  is  not  neces- 
sary now  to  comment  on  his  immense  worth  to  the  state  of 
his  adoption. 

Among  the  most  worth)-  laymen  of  this  period  was  Hon- 
orable Albert  Gallatin  Ha}nies,  who  deserves  more  than  or- 
dinary mention.  He  was  a  princely  spirit,  a  man  of  great 
heart,  of  earnest  practical  piety,  of  devotion  to  his  denomi- 
nation, and  one  of  the  best  friends  the  preacher  could  have. 
His  home  was  an  abode  of  hospitality,  his  interest  in  his 
fellows  as  broad  as  the  world,  and  his  purse  was  responsive 
to  all  appeals  for  aid.  He  was  a  tower  of  strength  in  the 
town  of  Independence,  and  a  most  worthy  ally  of  the  presi- 
dent of  Baylor  University.  Mr.  Haynes  was  unstinted  in 
the  measure  of  his  service  to  his  denomination,  and  his  sage 
judgment  was  brought  into  frequent  requisition  in  the  coun- 
cils of  his  church,  and  in  those  of  the  Convention.  He  was 
a  nobleman  by  nature,  and  men  instinctively  honored  him.  A 
benefactor  of  the  noblest  type,  he  foimd  pleasure  in  doing 
good  wherever  an  opportunity  was  afiforded. 

It  was  an  event  in  the  history  of  the  denomination  when 
the  Waco  Association  was  organized,  in. i860.  Perhaps  no 
similar  body,  in  Texas,  has  exerted  more  influence  on  the 
denomination.  In  the  history  of  the  body  is  involved  much 
that  has  entered  into  that  of  the  Baptists  of  the  state,  since 
its  organization.  On  its  territory  grew  up  and  flourished 
the  greatest  of  Texas  schools,  which  at  this  time  was  known 
as  the  Waco  Classical  School.  Attention  has  been  called  to 
the  school,  which  at  first  bore  a  different  name,  and  the  one 
which  it  now  bore  was  destined  to  develop  into  the  Baylor 
University,  which  now  is. 

The  Baptists  of  the  eastern  border  came  at  last  to  realize 
that  for  which  they  had  labored  and  longed  for  years  to- 
gether— a  denominational  school.  This  was  settled  when 
the   convention   in  that  quarter  met   in  June,    i860.     Five 


152  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

places  appeared  as  contestants  for  the  location  of  the  school, 
and  it  was  finally  decided  to  locate  it  at  Tyler,  to  be  called 
the  East  Texas  Baptist  Male  College,  and  placed  under  the 
charge  of  the  joint  principalship  of  Revs.  W.  B.  Feathers- 
ton  and  J.  R.  Clark. 

This  occurred  just  before  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  STORM   OF   WAR. 

We  come  now  to  the  gloomiest  and  bloodiest  period  of 
our  history.  For  decades,  the  elements  had  been  gathering 
for  the  terrific  storm  which  broke  over  the  nation  in  1861. 
Repeated  efforts  had  been  made  on  the  floor  of  Congress,  in 
certain  representatives  of  the  press,  and  in  divers  pulpits 
throughout  the  country,  to  avert  a  calamity  so  disastrous, 
but  nothing  short  of  war  would  satisfy  the  roused  American 
spirit.  It  was  a  question  of  the  survival  of  the  most  re- 
sourceful, for  it  must  be  a  war  that  would  be  fought  to  the 
exhaustion  of  one  or  the  other  section.  The  vaunted  boast 
was  made  on  all  hands,  by  those  least  informed,  that  the 
South  would  so  quickly  overwhelm  the  North,  it  would  be 
pastime,  but  the  sedater  well  knew  that  it  would  be  Ameri- 
can against  American,  and  the  successful  issue  of  two  for- 
eign wars  had  proved  that  the  American  would  fight, 
whether  he  came  from  South  Carolina  or  Massachusetts. 
Back  of  all  other  questions  which  precipitated  the  long  war 
of  blood  was  the  institution  of  American  slavery. 

The  history  of  negro  slavery  in  the  American  states, 
in  many  respects,  is  a  peculiar  one.  From  an  original  ques- 
tion of  commerce  in  human  souls,  it  became  one  of  con- 
science in  human  liberty.  In  New  England,  the  original 
storm  center  of  American  abolitionism,  the  institution  of 
African  slavery  flourished,  until  the  black  slave,  imported 
from  Africa  direct,  became  profitless  on  the  arid  clay  hills 
of  the  province  of  Puritanism.  As  the  newer  section  of  the 
Southern  states  was  developed,  and  as  its  cotton  lands  be- 
gan to  yield  the  valuable  staple  beneath  the  warm  skies  of 
the  South,  the  negro  slaves  were  sold  southward.  The 
cotton  plantations  of  the  South  were  the  seemingly  natural 
resorts  of  the  negro.     By  degrees,  there  grew  up  a  senti- 

153 


154  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

mcnt  in  Xew  England  in  opposition  to  slavery,  which  senti- 
ment gathered  force  with  the  years,  till  it  swelled  into  the 
proportions  of  a  general  tempest.  From  the  outset,  it  wore 
a  hostile  front,  and  sought  vent  through  the  press,  the  pul- 
pit, and  the  platform.  Romance,  ethics,  oratory,  poetry 
and  the  Bible  were  laid  under  tribute  in  the  assaults  which 
were  made  on  African  slavery. 

I'V)r  years,  the  halls  of  Congress  were  the  Ijattle-ground 
on  which  were  fought  to  the  finish,  in  gladiatorial  debate, 
all  the  questions  which  gathered  around  that  of  African 
slavery,  as  it  prevailed  in  the  states  of  the  South.  The 
giant  intellects  of  the  North  and  South  were  mutually  ag- 
gressive, both  defensively  and  offensively,  in  the  discussion 
of  this  overshadowing  question.  Various  efforts  at  com- 
promise were  made,  at  divers  times,  by  the  calmer  elements 
on  both  sides,  but  in  the  end,  all  temporizing  was  but  the 
damming  of  the  mountain  torrent.  When  it  did  burst  the 
bounds,  it  came  like  an  overflowing  flood,  and  sentiment 
was  translated  into  blood.  Naturally  sectional,  the  terms 
X'orth  and  South  actually  became  opprobious  epithets  in 
the  two  hostile  divisions  of  a  common  country.  That  slav- 
ery was  indefensible,  from  any  possible  point  of  view,  how- 
ever shrewd  and  plausible  the  arguments  urged  in  mainte- 
nance of  the  institution,  few,  if  an}-,  w  ill  now  deny.  From 
the  earliest  days  of  Southern  history,  there  had  not  been 
wanting  those  in  the  states  of  the  South  who  favored  one 
form  or  another  of  manumission  of  the  slave.  Up  to  the 
])eriod  when  the  thunder  of  Sinnter's  guns  awoke  the  na- 
tion to  the  realization  that  a  war  had  actually  begun  along 
our  borders,  there  were  many  throughout  the  South  who 
had  misgivings  of  the  Tightness  of  the  cause.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  a  matter  of  history,  that  some  wdio  became  very 
conspicuous  in  the  struggle  between  the  states  on  the  side 
of  the  North,  were  themselves  the  owners  of  slaves  when 
the  war  broke  out.  Among  such  may  be  named  the  idol 
of  the  Northern  army,  Ulysses  S.  Grant.  This  is  not  said 
with  attempted  disparagement,  nor  to  that  of  any  in  the 
same  class,  but  only  to  show  how  complicated  the  situation 
was.  It  was  further  complicated  in  that  there  v.ere  ardent 
sympathizers,  alike  in  the  North  for  the  South,  and  in  the 


THE    STORM    OF    WAR  155 

South  for  the  North.  Then,  too,  there  were  those  who 
while  devoted  to  their  respective  sections,  were  diametric- 
ally opposed  to  the  method  of  withdrawing  from  the  Union 
in  order  to  give  emphasis  to  their  sentiments.  Among  these 
were  some  of  the  choicest  spirits  and  manliest  leaders  in 
the  South.  In  this  last  view  General  Houston  shared. 
and  for  the  advocacy  of  which  he  incurred  great  unpopu- 
larity among  the  people  who  once  idolized  him  as  a  leader 
and  a  deliverer.  The  estimate  of  human  greatness  is  sub- 
ject to  the  fickleness  of  human  sentiment.  The  people  who 
one  day  raise  the  hosanna  of  coronation,  may  on  the  mor- 
row lift  the  cry  of  crucifixion. 

The  sentiment  of  secession  rose  to  the  pitch  of  a  passion 
in  the  South,  which  was  equaled  alone  by  the  wild  clamor 
of  abolitionism  in  the  North.  While  sober  minds  and  sage 
hearts  viewed  with  ominous  forebodings  the  impending 
conflict,  it  was  seen  to  be  inevitable.  Nothing  save  war 
could  quell  the  public  clamor — nothing  short  of  war  could 
save  the  country.  The  union  of  the  states  must  be  cemented 
into  closer  compactness  by  the  best  blood  of  the  nation.  All 
things  of  earthly  value,  and  of  heavenly,  too,  as  to  that, 
must  be  purchased  by  sacrifice.  It  is  an  immutable  law  of 
the  universe. 

Conditions  in  the  South  were  such  in  the  opening 
months  of  the  memorable  year  of  1861,  that  despite  one's 
views,  he  must  ally  himself  with  his  neighbors,  or  become  a 
pronounced  traitor  to  his  section.  This  admitted  of  appli- 
cation to  many  both  North  and  South.  Strong  convictions 
of  policy,  however  ardent,  must  yield  to  the  pressure  of  sec- 
tional demand.  This  brought  more  than  embarrassment ; 
it  was  positively  humiliatingly  perplexing.  In  this  condi- 
tion, some  of  our  best  men  found  themselves  at  the  thresh- 
old of  the  long  and  bloody  struggle. 

The  initial  notes  of  war  were  heard  throughout  this 
broad  land  of  states.  Hostile  demonstrations  converted 
the  South  into  a  vast  drill  camp.  Every  town  and  city  had 
one  or  more  bodies  of  volunteer  troops,  making  ready  for 
the  fray.  Texas  joined  in  the  procession  of  states  that 
were  passing  out  of  the  Union.  In  the  notable  secession 
convention  which  assembled  in  Austin,  January  28,   1861, 


REV.  J.  B.  TIDWELL,  TRESIDENT  DECATUR  COLLEGE. 

(Born  Blount  Co.,  Ala.,  Oct.  8,  1870:  educated  Walnut  Grove  Acad- 
emy ;  is  A.  B.  of  Howard  College,  M.  A.  of  Decatur  College,  and  has 
done  much  correspondence  work  in  Chicago  University :  during  his  work 
as  teacher,  has  been  pastor  of  churclies  near  Decatur  and  held  meetings 
during  the  summers,  in  which  1,000  have  been  saved  and  700  baptized  ; 
has  had  charge  of  finances  of  Decatur  College  seven  years  and  was 
elected  to  the  presidency  to  succeed  Rev.  J.  L.  \Yard  in  May,  1907  ;  was 
married  Apr.  24,  1887,  to  Miss  Kausis  L  Reid  :  was  converted  at  20.) 


THE    STOEM    OF    WAR  157 

the  ordinance  of  secession  was  passed  by  a  vote  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-seven  against  seven.  Submitted  to  the  peo- 
ple it  was  overwhehningly  ratified  on  February  23.  All 
state  officers  were  required  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  the  new  Confederate  Government,  just  set  up,  and  fail- 
ure to  do  so,  meant  ejection.  Though  an  intense  South- 
erner, Governor  Houston  was  by  principle  a  Union  man,  and 
declined  to  yield  to  the  demand,  insisting  within  his  rights, 
as  he  claimed,  that  neither  the  convention  nor  the  legislature 
had  a  right  to  deprive  him  of  an  office  to  which  he  had 
been  elected  by  the  people.  The  sentiment  against  him  was 
not  a  little  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  he  had  won,  in  his  elec- 
tion, on  an  independent  ticket,  and  he  was  originally  op- 
posed by  many  who  were  now  in  position  to  make  a  de- 
mand which  would  involve  the  surrender  of  his  original 
platform  of  principles.  He  was  inexorable  in  hir  resolve  to 
hold  steadfastly  to  his  principles,  and  the  legislature  was 
just  as  firm  in  its  demand.  In  cool  disregard  of  his  protest. 
Lieutenant-governor  Clarke  was  sworn  in  as  the  governor 
of  Texas,  and  Houston  was  ignored  by  the  legislature. 

Texas  was  now  fully  committed  to  the  struggle.  Dem- 
onstrations broke  out  in  every  direction.  The  people  were 
intoxicated  by  excitement.  Commissioners  were  appointed 
to  demand,  in  the  name  of  the  Confederacy,  the  surrender 
of  all  the  arms  and  ammunition  in  the  forts  within  her 
borders,  which  were  garrisoned  by  Federal  troops.  Every 
place  surrendered  without  resistance.  Many  officers  were 
duly  paroled,  while  others,  together  with  some  of  the  troops, 
joined  the  fortunes  of  the  new  Confederacy.  Now  began  a 
protracted  war,  which  was  destined  to  continue  for  four 
long  years. 

Conditions  rapidly  changed.  The  flower  of  Texas  man- 
hood enlisted  in  the  cause,  and  swelled  the  armies  on  the  dis- 
tant field.  In  thousands  of  instances,  women  assumed  con- 
trol of  business  afifairs  on  the  plantations  and  elsewhere, 
while  husbands  and  sons  went  to  the  front.  Like  other 
ports,  Galveston  was  blockaded,  and  it  was  not  long  before 
Texas  was  an  isolated  province.  It  is  not  proper  that  the 
narrative  of  the  struggle  be  continued,  only  as  it  touches 
the  work  of  the  denomination  in  the  narrative  of  events. 


158  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Like  all  (.jlhcr  interests,  religious  enterprises  were 
brought  to  a  practical  standstill.  Baptist  affairs  in  Texas, 
in  1861,  had  reached  a  gloomy  stage.  The  most  that  could 
be  hoped  for  by  the  Baptists  was  to  hold  intact  the  denomi- 
nation, and  preserve  the  organization  of  their  forces  till  the 
struggle  should  end.  It  was  a  period  of  dark  portents,  and 
everything  was  swallowed  up  in  the  one  idea  of  war.  The 
population  of  the  state  was  rapidly  depleted  of  men,  and,  by 
degrees,  even  of  boys  above  sixteen  years  of  age.  In  some 
instances,  lads  not  exceeding  thirteen  and  fourteen  years 
of  age  went  to  the  front.  In  consequence,  the  schools  of 
the  state  were  practically  closed,  excepting  those  for  the 
education  of  girls  and  small  children.  The  faculty  of  Bay- 
lor University  resigned  in  a  body,  and  under  the  lead  of 
Doctor  Burleson  went  to  Waco  University,  the  school  pre- 
viously alluded  to,  which  had  now  grown  into  much  larger 
proportions.  Several  causes  conspired  to  bring  about  this 
action  on  the  part  of  the  faculty,  some  of  which  have  al- 
ready been  alluded  to.  The  pressure  of  the  times  forced 
the  suspension  of  the  publication  of  The  Texas  Baptist,  and 
missionary  work  was  practically  at  an  end. 

The  Baptist  State  Convention  met,  in  i86r,  at  Huntsville, 
but  the  meeting  was  devoid  of  interest.  It  was  more  in  the 
interest  of  the  preservation  of  the  organized  forces  than  for 
work.  II.  L.  (jraves  became  ])rc>i(U'nt.  j.  \\  .  I),  ("reath, 
S.  (i.  (JTJryan  and  M.  Ross,  vice  presidents;  (.).  H.  F.  (iar- 
rett,  recording  secretary,  and  H.  Clarke,  corresponding  sec- 
retary. The  convention  shared  in  the  patriotism  of  the 
times,  and  in  the  provision  for  services,  special  arrangements 
were  made  for  "prayer  to  be  made  to  the  God  of  battles  for 
our  beloved  Confederacy.''  But  little  had  been  done  during 
the  past  year.  Pledges  were  taken  to  the  amount  of  $1,004 
for  mission  purposes,  to  be  paid  when  the  crops  were  sold, 
or  at  the  next  session  of  the  Convention.  G.  \V.  Baines 
was  requested  to  take  the  chair  of  the  prcsidencv  of  Baylor 
University,  for  the  period  of  a  year,  or  till  a  president  could 
be  chosen.  A  man  of  many  parts,  Baines  was  laid  under 
tribute  in  different  emergencies  of  the  denomination,  and 
never  failed  to  respond  with  signal  ability.  He  was  fur- 
nislied  with  a  faculty,  and  the  work  went  on  at  Baylor  as 


THE    STORM    OF    WAR  159 

though  nothing  had  occurred.  It  was  a  novel  situation  to 
the  Baptists  of  Texas  when  they  could  not  be  zealously 
engaged  in  missionary  work.  For  fourteen  years  the  Con- 
vention had  been  the  most  aggressive  and  progressive 
agency  in  the  state,  and  had  wrought  wonders  in  overcoming 
the  most  obstinate  difficulties  and  in  transforming  the  face 
of  a  new  society  in  a  new  state.  They  were  the  first  to 
open  the  doors  of  an  educational  institution  in  Texas,  which 
institution,  in  spite  of  its  struggles,  had  commanded  con- 
spicuous influence  from  the  outset. 

During  the  years  of  the  past,  Baptists  had  been  largely 
instrumental  in  converting  Texas  from  primitive  conditions 
to  those  of  the  most  advanced  civilization.  They  had  not 
accomplished  all  that  had  been  done,  for  the  Methodists 
had  been  equally  active  and  aggressive,  but  it  certainly 
seems  that  the  Baptists  could  not  have  done  more.  To  be 
suddenlv  checked  in  so  determined  a  course  of  progress, 
placed  them  in  an  anomalous  situation.  They  must  now 
stand  still  in  patient  reliance  on  the  same  promises  on 
which  they  had  stayed  themselves  during  the  years  of 
energy  and  struggle.  There  was  an  heroic  hope  that  they 
might  be  able  to  resume  the  publication  of  the  paper  within 
a  short  while,  but  it  was  really  more  a  wish  than  a  sub- 
stantial hope. 

The  Huntsville  Convention  was  t\i)ical  of  others  held 
during  the  war.  Nothing  practically  was  done  save  the 
determination  to  preser-ve  and  hold  together  till  a  change 
should  come.  Fortunately  for  all  the  people,  the  crops  were 
generally  good,  and  just  as  fortunately  the  obedience,  fidel- 
ity and  respectful  demeanor  of  the  slaves  remained  un- 
broken during  all  these  years  of  peril  and  disaster.  Cut 
off  from  general  operations,  and  instinctively  missionary, 
the  Baptists  of  the  state  now  turned  for  the  exercise  of  their 
missionary  spirit  to  the  slaves  on  the  plantations.  Pastors 
and  voluntary  evangelists  spent  much  of  their  time,  during 
the  sacred  day,  in  the  quarters,  preaching  to  the  blacks. 
This  was  only  a  continuation  of  the  work  which  had  been 
carried  on  among  them  for  many  years. 

It  is  fitting  here  to  say  that  a  more  remarkable  condition 
never  before  existed  in  any  country.    Ignorant  as  the  blacks 


160  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

of  the  South  were,  they  were  not  altogether  unaware  of  the 
nature  of  the  great  war  wiiich  was  being  waged.  The  havoc 
which  these  people  might  have  wrought  in  a  single  night 
throughout  the  South,  is  awful  even  in  imagination.  But 
few  white  men  were  left  in  the  homes  of  the  South,  and 
such  as  were,  were  usually  feeble  and  aged.  These  aged 
ones,  together  with  millions  of  helpless  women  and  chil- 
dren, might  easily  have  become  victims  to  the  wildest  lust ; 
and  fire  and  sword,  rapine,  plunder  and  massacre  might 
have  made  the  South  a  vast  holocaust  in  any  single  night. 
With  such  a  possible  contingency,  the  armies  of  the  Con- 
federacy would  have  melted  like  frost  before  the  sun,  and 
the  consequent  results  would  have  been  such  as  the  world 
had  never  witnessed.  There  were  reasons  which  perhaps 
put  this  beyond  the  pale  of  possibility.  As  a  rule,  the  slave 
was  devoted  to  his  master  and  his  family.  That  there 
were  instances  many  of  fearful  cruelty  practiced  by  a  class 
of  masters  on  their  slaves,  cannot  be  denied ;  and  that  the 
tendency  of  servitude  was  toward  cruelty  and  barbarity  is 
just  as  undeniable ;  but  there  is  another  fact  which  is 
equally  true,  that  there  were  thousands  of  slave  owners 
whose  treatment  was  humane  and  kind  throughout,  and 
who  would  not  suffer  the  imposition  of  harshness  on  their 
slaves.  Cruelty  to  the  slave  was  not  the  rule  in  the  South, 
as  the  abolitionist  would  have  every  one  to  believe.  After 
granting,  and  even  admitting,  the  horrible  cruelty  which 
was  practiced  by  some,  there  were  yet  thousands  of  slave 
owners  who  were  exceedingly  careful  about  the  welfare  of 
their  slaves.  Almost  without  exception,  domestic  servants 
in  Southern  homes  were  a  highly  favored  class.  The  duties 
of  thousands  of  them  were  nominal ;  they  were  well  fed, 
comfortably,  if  not  genteelly  clad,  and  in  many  instances, 
received  untold  benefits  in  mental  training  by  reason  of 
contact  in  the  homes  of  the  South  with  the  young  gentle- 
men and  ladies  of  the  families.  Alaster  and  slave  worshiped 
in  the  same  church,  listened  to  the  same  preacher,  and  re- 
ceived equal  advantages  in  all  the  features  of  divine  wor- 
ship. By  contact  with  the  most  cultured  of  the  whites,  the 
favored  slaves  by  the  ten  thousand  absorbed  a  knowledge 


THE    STORM    OF    WAR  161 

of  the  conventionalities  of  culture  and  the  amenities  of  so- 
ciety. Thousands  were  incidentall}-  taught  the  rudiments 
of  learning,  and  other  thousands  were  trained  to  be  speak- 
ers and  orators.  In  sickness,  the  slave  had  the  attention 
and  service  of  the  best  medical  skill,  and  in  death  his  burial 
was  decent  and  solemn.  It  is  no  defense  of  the  institution 
of  slavery,  which  is  bad  enough  at  best,  to  say  that  the  pall 
of  serfdom  in  the  South  was  shot  through  by  many  rays  of 
sunshine.  Necessarily,  there  were  bonds  of  union  between 
the  slave  in  the  quarters  and  the  family  "in  de  big  house." 
On  no  other  basis  can  the  devotion  of  the  slave  to  his  mas- 
ter be  accounted  for. 

When  the  shock  of  war  came,  and  the  master  and  his 
sons  were  summoned  to  the  tented  field,  the  black  slave  was 
impelled  more  by  a  desire  to  protect  the  defenseless  home, 
than  to  destroy  it.  What  might  have  been  the  result,  if  in- 
cendiary agents  had  sought  to  incite  the  slaves  to  an  up- 
rising, is  a  matter  entirely  of  conjecture.  Under  the  most 
favorable  circumstances  possible  for  such  a  venture,  it 
would  seem  that  it  would  have  been  well  nigh  impossible 
to  procure  such  concert  of  action  as  to  make  probable  the 
execution  of  such  a  fell  purpose.  The  slave  knew  but  little 
else  than  subordination  to  authority,  and  revolution  would 
have  been  so  antipodal  to  his  accustomed  servitude  and  do- 
cility, and,  it  may  be  said  also,  to  his  nature,  that  the  dififi- 
culty  of  procuring  unity  of  action  would  have  been  well 
nigh  impossible.  During  the  dark  days  of  the  war,  it  was 
not  unusual  to  hear,  in  the  rude  and  simple  worship  of  the 
slave,  in  his  quarters  at  night,  prayers  raised  to  the  Most 
High  in  behalf  of  the  absent  master  and  his  boys. 

It  is  not  going  too  far  to  say  that  the  Southern  people 
owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  black  race,  for  its  loyalty  and 
devotion,  during  a  period  when  its  white  families  were  pro- 
tected, and  when  its  armies  were  fed  by  the  slaves  on  the 
plantations  of  the  South.  Whatever  else  may  be  said,  the 
negro  slave  was  certainly  faithful  to  the  cause  of  the  whites 
during  the  long  and  bitter  struggle,  which  could  not  have 
been  prosecuted  without  him.  This  fact  was  recognized  by 
the  Christian  instinct  of  the  devoted  pastors  and  mission- 
aries, who  gave  so  much  of  their  time  and  attention  to  the 


THE    STOEM    OF    WAE  163 

spiritual  welfare  of  the  blacks  during  the  years  of  the  strug- 
gle. 

Henceforth  in  the  continuation  of  this  narrative,  atten- 
tion must  be  divided  between  the  events  occurring  in  con- 
nection with  the  two  institutions  of  learning,  the  one  at  In- 
dependence, and  the  other  at  Waco.  President  Burleson 
saw  in  the  growing  town  of  Waco,  and  in  its  aspiring  in- 
stitution, great  prospects  of  usefulness  which  he  felt  sure 
would  henceforth  be  denied  the  school  at  Independence. 
While  he  went  there  under  such  conditions,  this  did  not 
sever  the  loyalty  of  the  denomination  from  the  school  at 
Independence.  That  a  change  in  the  location  of  their  chief 
seat  of  learning  w^ould  have  to  come  sooner  or  later,  was 
recognized  by  many  of  the  thinking  ones,  and  that  it  would 
have  come  soon  but  for  the  interposition  of  war,  they  rec- 
ognized. 

The  year  1862  brought  but  little  change  to  the  general 
depression  of  the  country.  With  the  waxing  of  the  conflict, 
and  the  vacancy  of  chairs  in  thousands  of  Southern  homes, 
rose  a  corresponding  determination  to  press  the  struggle  to 
the  bitter  end.  When  the  fifteenth  annual  session  of  the 
State  Convention  was  held  in  Waco,  in  1862,  the  body  was 
harassed  by  debt  incurred  in  seeking  to  prosecute  a  limited 
work  in  missions.  The  pledges  made  at  the  last  session 
were  not  paid,  and  some  of  the  missionaries  had  to  go  un- 
paid for  an  entire  year.  This  brought  not  only  embarrass- 
ment, but  demoralization.  The  eyes  and  hearts  of  people 
were  fixed  on  a  different  struggle.  The  schools,  both  at 
Waco  and  at  Independence,  w'ere  kept  going,  after  a 
fashion,  but  necessarily  both  w^ere  hobbling.  With  this 
meeting  of  the  Convention,  missionary  work  on  the  field 
was  practically  suspended,  and  the  precarious  condition  in- 
duced by  the  war,  was  becoming  normal.  The  ebb  and 
flow  of  the  conflict  was  just  such  as  to  excite  confidence, 
and  to  generate  a  more  stubborn  resistance.  The  success  of 
General  Magruder,  at  Galveston,  stiffened  confidence,  in 
which  all  classes  alike  shared. 

As  the  war  progressed  into  1863,  the  hardships  of  the 
people  increased.  The  depreciated  currency  of  the  South- 
ern Confederacy,  while  it  was  abundant,  was  of  such  indif- 


164  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

ferent  value  that  it  could  not  procure  even  the  necessaries 
of  life.  It  sounds  ridiculously  enough  when  a  barrel  of 
flour  was  quoted  on  the  market  at  $250,  and  an  ordinary 
horse  was  valued  at  $2,000,  a  gallon  of  liquor  estimated  to 
be  worth  $150,  and  a  turkey  gobbler  w^ould  bring  $175. 
Medicine  could  scarcely  be  had  at  any  price,  and  foreign 
coffee  was  unknown.  All  sorts  of  decoctions  were  resorted 
to  for  table  beverages,  and  for  medical  purposes.  For  the 
table,  vile  decoctions  evoked  from  parched  corn,  wheat  and 
rye,  and  leaves  and  herbs  gathered  from  the  woods  and 
fields ;  and  as  for  medicines,  roots  and  herbs  were  relied  on, 
and  botany  held  the  sway  in  the  medical  world.  The  seri- 
ous straits  to  which  the  people  were  reduced  recalled  to  the 
old  settlers  the  trying  pioneer  days  on  the  plains.  For 
clothing,  people  relied  on  the  cotton  and  woolen  goods  of 
their  own  manufacture,  and  for  hats,  on  the  spikes  of  the 
young  palmetto  of  the  swamp,  which  was  stripped  into 
strands,  dried,  plaited  and  sewed  into  the  shape  of  hats. 
Ingenuity  was  taxed  to  devise  substitutes  for  commercial 
commodities.  But  the  seasons  were  generally  favorable, 
and  the  earth  yielded  her  increase.  Cattle  and  swine  were 
abundant,  and  on  domestic  commodities  the  people  had  to 
rely  to  maintain  life.  Shoes  and  boots  were  made  from 
home-tanned  leather,  and  manufactured  from  pegs  made 
from  the  tough  wild  elm.  With  cheerfulness  the  people  ac- 
quiesced in  the  existing  conditions,  and  with  the  flash  of 
hope  in  every  eye,  they  looked  to  the  ultimate  success  of 
the  Southern  cause.  The  press  ingeniously,  if  not  scrupu- 
lously, stimulated  such  hope,  by  giving  a  favorable  color  to 
defeat  on  the  field,  and  when  a  successful  issue  at  arms 
would  come,  the  same  press  buoyed  the  popular  spirit  by 
extravagant  representations. 

On  July  26.  1863,  General  Sam  Houston  died  at  his 
home  at  Huntsville.  During  the  time  between  his  enforced 
retirement  from  the  gubernatorial  chair,  two  years  before, 
and  the  present,  he  was  not  re-established  in  the  affections 
of  the  people  of  the  state,  yet  to  him  more  than  to  any  other 
were  the  people  indebted  for  that  which  made  them  first  an 
independent  Republic,  and  later,  the  largest  of  the  sover- 
eign states.     It  was  necessary  for  the  acerbities  of  war  to 


THE    STORM    OF    WAE  165 

give  place  to  the  gentler  sentiments  of  peace  before  Hous- 
ton could  be  restored  to  the  position  won  by  his  undoubted 
merit.  That  time  came  later,  and  his  ability,  alike  in  the 
cabinet  and  on  the  field,  won  for  him  the  distinction  of  "The 
Napoleon  of  the  West."  Nothing  can  mar  the  bright  chap-' 
ter  due  him  in  the  annals  of  American  history,  as  a  warrior, 
a  statesman  and  a  Christian  gentleman.  It  is  not  surprising 
that  one  of  his  biographers,  and  himself  a  Northern  man,* 
alludes  to  him  as  "among  the  greatest  of  the  post-Revolu- 
tionary statesmen  of  the  Republic." 

The  strenuosity  of  the  times  did  not  prevent  repeated 
efforts  being  made  to  renew  missionary  work  by  the  Bap- 
tists of  the  state.  Only  two  missionaries  were  in  the  field 
during  the  year  1863.  Each  local  church  was  seeking  to 
hold  its  own,  and  the  general  meetings  were  held,  not  for 
the  purpose  of  devising  new  plans  and  making  fresh  en- 
deavors, as  in  all  the  years  of  the  past,  but  simply  to  hold ' 
things  together.  The  retirement  of  Doctor  G.  W.  Baines 
from  the  presidency  of  Baylor  University,  which  position 
he  assumed  only  temporarily,  led  to  the  election  of  Rev. 
William  Carey  Crane,  D.  D.,  as  the  president  of  the  school. 
He  came  from  Mount  Lebanon,  Louisiana,  where  he  was 
the  president  of  the  Baptist  college  of  that  state.  Doctor 
Crane  brought  to  his  new  position  a  record  of  scholarship 
and  of  pulpit  ability.  A  Virginian  by  birth,  he  was  edu- 
cated at  Columbian  LTniversity,  Washington,  D.  C,  and  at 
Madison  University.  He  taught  in  the  Virginia  Baptist 
Seminary,  now  Richmond  College,  and  later  at  Talbotton, 
Georgia.  Later  still,  he  was  connected  in  the  double  ca- 
pacity of  agent  and  professor  in  Union  University,  Mur- 
freesboro,  Tennessee,  and  served  as  associate  editor  with 
Doctor  R.  B.  C.  Howell,  in  the  conduct  of  The  Baptist,  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee.  He  afterwards  removed  to  Missis- 
sippi, and  was  pastor  at  Columbus,  A^icksburg,  and  Yazoo 
City,  and  taught  and  preached  at  Hernando.  Subsequent 
to  this,  he  was  the  president  of  a  school  at  Center  Hill,  Mis- 
sissippi, w^hence  he  removed  to  Mount  Lebanon,  Louisiana. 
No  time  could  have  been  more  inauspicious  than  was  that 


*C.  Edwards  Lester:     "Life  and  Achievemeuts  of  Sam  Houston." 


166 


HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


when  he  became  the  president  of  Baylor.  It  was  when  the 
belief  was  prevalent  that  the  college  was  virtually  dead.  Yet 
he  met  the  condition  with  calmness.  He  was  called  to  the 
First  Church  of  Houston,  but  declined,  and  accepted  the 
presidency  of  Baylor.     He  labored  with  zeal,  and  hoped 


REV.    DAVID    O.    lI.^iUSE,    AUBREY,   TEXAS. 

(Born  at  Smithl.and.  Livingston  Co.,  Kentucky,  .July  7,  1848  :  his  parents 
died  while  he  was  a  child  ;  he  worked  his  way  through  the  '•subscription 
schools,"  and  then  through  college,  by  teaching  during  the  common  school 
term  :  he  attended  the  Law  University  of  Ind.,  after  which  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  111. ;  he  located  at  Denison. 
Texas,  in  1883,  where  he  was  elected  three  times  as  city  attorney,  and 
served  one  term  as  judge  of  the  criminal  court ;  he  was  ordained  "to  the 
ministry  by  the  First  Baptist  Church,  of  Denison.  in  July,  1896,  since 
whicii  time  he  has  given  his  whole  time  to  the  work  of  his  Master  ;  he 
is  a  man  of  singular  purity  of  life  and  character,  and  is  wholly  con- 
secrated to  his  Master's  work — faithful  to  every  trust,  he  is  a  model 
Christian  and  a  courtly  gentleman.) 


against  hope.  To  the  labors  of  president,  he  added  those 
of  pastor,  preaching  for  the  church  at  Independence  and 
for  pastorless  churches  in  the  country.  The  school  was  an 
incessant  drain  and  strain  on  him.  His  aged  father  dying, 
in  i866.  Doctor  Crane  was  left  a  small  patrimony  of  seven 
thousand  dollars,  all  of  which  he  sacrificed  in  trying  to 


THE    STORM    OF    WAR  167 

prop  a  declining  institution.  He  was  a  writer  of  ability,  and 
contributed  to  many  of  our  denominational  journals.  In 
the  stress  of  the  times,  he  sought  to  establish  a  Baptist  organ 
in  Texas,  but  the  odds  were  against  him. 

The  sixteenth  annual  session  of  the  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention was  held  at  Independence  in  October,  1863.  The 
organization  resulted  in  the  election  of  H.  L.  Graves,  presi- 
dent; J.  W.  D.  Creath,  S.  G.  O'Bryan  and  Horace  Clarke, 
vice-presidents ;  B.  S.  Fitzgerald,  recording  secretary,  and 
W.  A.  Montgomery,  corresponding  secretary.  But  little 
had  been  done  within  the  range  of  denominational  activity 
during  the  year,  and  small  were  the  opportunities  offered. 
Every  interest  was  in  the  throes  of  a  struggle  for  self-main- 
tenance. About  the  only  interest  that  claimed  the  attention 
of  the  denomination  was  Baylor  University,  and  as  has  been 
shown,  that  was  in  a  declining  condition.  However,  it 
was  holding  its  own  under  dire  conditions,  and  had  in  both 
the  departments  of  the  school  an  attendance  of  just  two  hun- 
dred. Special  eft'ort  was  to  be  made  to  provide  the  means 
for  the  education  at  Baylor  University  of  such  young  men 
as  desired  to  enter  the  ministry.  During  the  session  of  the 
Convention,  it  was  resolved  to  raise  $Jo,ooo  to  be  devoted  to 
sending  missionaries  to  the  army,  and  to  destitute  regions 
of  the  state. 

The  fact  was  disclosed  that  there  was  an  alarming  scarc- 
ity of  books  and  periodicals  west  of  the  Mississippi  river, 
and  only  one  religious  journal  published,  which  journal  was 
liable  to  suspend  at  any  time.  At  a  subsequent  meeting 
of  the  Board  of  Directors,  it  was  resolved  to  raise  a  fund  to 
educate  the  young  men  at  Baylor  who  had  been  disabled 
in  war,  as  well  as  the  sons  and  daughters  of  deceased  sol- 
diers. 

Waco  University,  over  which  Doctor  Burleson  presided, 
held  its  own  during  these  troublous  years  of  war,  and  was 
one  of  the  few  schools  of  the  South  to  do  so.  Thus  it  was 
that  the  effort  was  made  to  keep  intact  every  possible  in- 
terest, and  to  the  highest  standard  possible.  But  the  dis- 
cordant conditions  were  against  every  enterprise,  however 
herculean  the  effort.     It  finally  came  to  pass,  that  the  most 


168  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

that  was  undertaken  was  to  preserve  worship  in  the  local 
churches. 

More  and  more  the  war  had  come  to  absorb  every  pos- 
sible interest.  The  possession  of  the  Mississippi  river  by  the 
Federals,  severed  Texas  from  the  other  states  of  the  South, 
and  the  people  of  the  state  were  reduced  to  the  necessity  of 
relying  absolutely  on  their  own  resources.  Meanwhile  the 
war  was  reaching  an  inevitable  end.  The  Confederacy  was 
severed  into  triple  divisions,  the  army  was  poorly  clad  and 
fed,  thousands  of  the  young  men  of  the  South  were  in  un- 
timely graves,  the  armies,  reduced  in  numbers,  if  not  in 
spirit,  were  unable  to  cope  with  a  foe  formidable  in  num- 
.bers  and  resources,  only  old  men  and  children  had  been  left 
to  the  homes  of  the  South,  and  the  conditions  were  fast 
becoming  desperate. 

The  close  of  the  war  came  with  its  gloom  and  long  cata- 
logue of  disasters.  The  crucial  extremity  had  been  reached. 
Every  interest  in  the  South  was  prostrated.  Commerce  had 
languished  to  its  lowest  point,  and  even  the  cultivation  of 
the  land  was  done  at  the  greatest  disadvantage.  Still,  hope 
remained.  The  press  stimulated  the  people  by  every  possible 
appeal  to  patriotism,  by  keeping  from  view  the  real 
condition  of  affairs.  With  an  army  in  tatters,  and  with  the 
implements  of  war  scant,  there  was  still  a  belief  on  the  part 
of  the  bulk  of  the  population  of  the  South  that  the  Southern 
armies  were  invincible.  The  sole  question  had  come  to  be. 
How  can  the  people  survive  and  maintain  the  armies  at  the 
front  ?  Instead  of  being  daunted  or  discouraged  by  disaster, 
these  reverses  served  only  to  whet  into  keenness  the  deter- 
mination of  the  people.  Yet  the  battered  ranks  of  the  armies 
were  being  more  and  more  thinned,  under  the  repeated 
blows  of  war,  with  no  possibility  of  replenishment.  Sca/cely 
was  one  to  be  found  in  the  homes  of  the  South  between  the 
ages  of  sixteen  and  sixty,  unless  he  had  been  disabled  by 
the  casualties  of  war. 

The  year  1864  passed  with  its  gloom  and  grim  disasters. 
The  closing  year  of  the  struggle  was  ushered  in,  and  when 
the  warmth  of  springtime  came  in  1(865.  the  climax  of  dis- 
aster to  Southern  arms  was  reached  by  the  surrender  at 
Appomattox. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

DESTRUCTION    AND    RECONSTRUCTION. 

The  close  of  the  war  found  the  Baptist  affairs  of  Texas 
in  a  demorahzed  condition.  Many  of  their  organizations 
had  become  practically  extinct,  and  the  methods  which  were 
in  such  successful  vogue  four  years  before  no  longer  ex- 
isted. The  organization  of  the  forces  had  gone  to  pieces 
under  the  demoralization  of  the  war,  and  the  wrecks  strewn 
in  all  directions  seemed  to  mock  any  effort  to  rehabilitate. 
There  were  left,  however,  the  two  schools  at  Waco  and  at 
Independence,  both  of  which  had  weathered  the  storm,  after 
a  fashion,  by  keeping  their  doors  open  to  students.  But  the 
changed  affairs  upset  all  calculations,  and  it  seemed  mocked 
all  hope.  It  was  manifest  that  a  change  in  all  matters  of 
management  and  in  all  policies  was  inevitable. 

The  new  order  ushered  in  by  the  close  of  hostilities,  stag- 
gered even  the  bravest  and  wisest.  The  sudden  emancipa- 
tion of  the  slaves  had  removed  the  underpropping  of  the 
commerce  of  the  South.  Had  it  been  expected,  the  people 
might  have  been  prepared,  and  would  have  provided  against 
the  suddenness  of  the  crisis,  but  it  was  not  contemplated 
up  to  the  hour  of  the  receipt  of  the  news  of  the  capitulation 
of  the  armies.  The  people  had  never  dreamed  of  anything 
but  Southern  independence,  and  hooted  at  the  idea  of  fail- 
ure of  Southern  arms.  But  now,  that  all  was  over,  and  the 
labor  of  the  slave  was  no  longer  to  be  relied  on,  the  whole 
system  of  the  South's  commerce  came  down  with  a  crash. 
The  freedom  of  the  slave  came  with  the  suddenness  of  the 
earthquake,  and  this  on  the  heels  of  a  most  disastrous  war, 
which  would  itself  have  largely  unsettled  conditions,  even 
though  the  slave  had  been  retained.  A  situation  no  less 
acute  than  this  confronted  the  people  of  the  South  in  April, 
1865.     The  soldier  returning  to  his  home  found  his  young 

169 


iro 


HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


crop  pitched,  but  with  none  to  cultivate  it.  The  armies  of 
the  conqueror  had  swept  over  lar.c^e  portions  of  the  coun- 
try and  had  left  them  destitute  of  the  means  of  life.  Under 
such  conditions  young  men  and  women,  bred  in  luxury 
and  unused  to  lalDor,  had  in  many  instances  to  assume  the 


REV.  J.   H.   CLOUSE,   STliATFORD,   TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Green  Co.,  Tenn.,  April  1,  1869:  was  married  to  Miss  Dora 
Dalton  in  Madison  Co.,  N.  C,  March  22,  1888;  joined  the  Clear  Branch 
Church  in  Unicoi  Co..  Tenn.,  in  1890,  where  soon  afterwards  was  ordained 
a  deacon:  came  to  Howe,  Grayson  Co.,  Texas,  Feb.  1,  1891;  removed  to 
Waco,  Dec.  1,  1893,  where  he  studied  in  Baylor  University  5  years. 
While  in  Waco  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Second  Baptist  Church, 
April  14,  1895  :  Dec.  1,  1898,  was  called  to  the  care  of  the  Second  Church, 
Longview,  Texas,  where  he  was  ordained  Dec.  18,  1898.  Aside  from  work 
as  Missionary  of  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of  Texas,  he  has  served  the 
following  churches  :  Second  Church,  Longview,  First  Churches  at  Wills 
Point,  Graham,  Jacksboro :  now  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  Stratford; 
in  connection  with  regular  pastorates,  has  preached  to  a  number  of 
smaller  churches.) 

functions  of  tillers  of  the  soil,  or  those  of  domestic  servants 
in  the  home.  The  country  was  generally  stripped  of  horses 
and  mules  of  value,  which  -added  increased  embarrassment 
to  the  one  absorbing  question  of  the  time,  How  can  life  be 
maintained  ?  In  this  thought  all  people  shared,  to  the 
exclusion  of  everything  else.     If  possible  the  conditions  of 


DESTEUCTION    AND    RECONSTRUCTION  171 

Texas  were  worse  than  in  the  earhest  years  of  pioneer  Hfe, 
when  the  future  wore  a  flush  of  hope.  Then  the  outlook 
was  inspiring.  The  inspiration  of  the  hope  of  success 
came  with  each  plodding  step.  Each  recuriing  year 
brought  its  quota  of  stimulation  to  greater  achievement. 
Difficulties  there  were,  but  they  were  such  as  would  yield 
to  the  stern  efforts  of  determination.  But  now  the  results 
of  almost  three  decades  of  unspeakable  labor  and  sacrifice 
were  seemingly  swept  away.  The  effort  to  revive  a  sus- 
pended interest  is  greater  than  that  of  its  original  crea- 
tion. Discouragement  now  brooded  over  the  land.  There 
were  the  churches,  but  they  were  poverty-stricken ;  the 
general  bodies  remained  in  name,  but  they  were  without 
means  of  operation,  and  the  plans  and  methods  of  a  genera- 
tion of  hard  and  wise  service  had  crumbled,  and  not  a  ray 
of  hope  lighted  the  future.  Yet,  after  all,  God  remained. 
His  promises  were  yea  and  amen  forever.  His  people 
had  been  in  straits  before,  and  He  had  never  left  nor  for- 
saken them.  There  are  no  difficulties  with  Him.  To  Him 
hearts  turned  by  the  thousand  in  a  time  of  perplexing  dark- 
ness. When  the  convention  met  at  Anderson  in  1865  it 
was  a  period  of  gloom.  Some  were  present  who  had  seen 
other  dark  days,  and  they  were  not  without  hope.  The 
usual  formality  of  organization  was  gone  through  by  the 
election  of  H.  L.  Graves,  president ;  W.  C.  Crane,  J.  W.  D. 
Creatli  and  J.  H.  Stribling,  vice  presidents ;  G.  W.  Graves, 
recording  secretary,  and  H.  Clarke,  corresponding  secretary. 
The  annual  report  of  the  corresponding  secretary  is  so  full 
of  interest,  and  so  completely  sets  forth  the  conditions  of 
the  time,  that  it  is  given  here  in  full : 

"Dear  Brethren :  The  constitution  of  the  convention 
has  made  it  the  duty  of  the  corresponding  secretary  to  pre- 
sent at  each  convention  a  general  review  of  the  operations 
of  the  Board  of  Directors  during  the  conventional  year. 
Never  has  this  duty  been  performed  under  circumstances 
like  those  which  now  surround  us.  The  year  commenced 
under  the  pressure  of  a  war  unsurpassed  in  its  magnitude, 
and  involving  in  its  issue  the  independence  of  our  people, 
their  wealth  and,  in  a  great  measure,  their  dignity  and 
their  happiness.     The   anxiety   of  the   public   mind   while 


173  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

these  issues  were  pending ;  its  agitation  when  the  probabil- 
ity of  an  adverse  decision  grew  into  a  terrible  certainty 
and  the  doubt  and  distress  necessarily  accompanying  the 
upturning  of  the  foundation  of  our  social  system  have 
paralyzed  to  a  great  degree  all  our  benevolent  enterprises 
and  suspended  midway  our  best  matured  schemes  for  the 
promotion  of  objects  for  which  this  convention  was  organ- 
ized. The  Christian,  however,  cannot  be  bereft  of  the 
conviction  that  no  plan  or  purpose  of  Almighty  God  can 
be  defeated — that  in  the  midst  of  the  turmoil,  agitation  and 
strife  incident  to  human  affairs,  the  mind  of  God  is  serene, 
the  virtue  of  the  atonement  is  unimpaired,  human  instru- 
mentality preserves  its  place  in  the  divine  economy,  and  the 
will  of  God,  concerning  the  redemption  and  salvation  of 
man,  is  being  accomplished.  He  works  with  us  for  our  hap- 
piness and  good  and  without  us  for  his  own  glory.  But 
wdth  us  or  without  us  the  will  of  God  is  done.  Let  us  con- 
tinue then,  although  the  clouds  may  lower  and  the  storms 
of  temporal  adversity  assail  us,  to  seek  a  place  as  humble 
co-w^orkers  with  Him  in  the  spread  of  divine  truth,  and  in 
the  intellectual  and  spiritual  growth  of  the  human  race. 

"At  the  commencement  of  the  conventional  year  the 
attention  of  the  board  was  directed  most  earnestly  to  the 
spiritual  wants  of  our  brave  defenders  in  the  army,  and  the 
paramount  necessities  of  this  caused  the  domestic  field  to 
be,  for  the  most  part,  neglected.  Great  caution  was  exer- 
cised in  the  selection  of  men  for  this  work,  and  none  but 
tried  men,  such  as  had  shown  themselves  w^orkmen  approved 
of  God,  were  sent.  Elders  William  T.  Wright,  J.  S.  Allen, 
J.  W.  D.  Creath,  J.  G.  Thomas  and  besides  many  volunteer 
laborers,  acting  under  the  solicitations  of  the  board,  labored 
in  this  field  and,  so  far  as  reports  have  been  rendered,  with 
gratifying  results.  Upon  the  disbanding  of  the  army  these 
brethren  returned  to  their  homes,  and  since  then  no  mission- 
ary labor  has  been  performed  under  the  auspices  of  the 
board.  There  are  funds  in  the  treasury  to  settle  in  full 
with  all  the  appointees  of  the  board,  and  a  small  surplus 
for  the  operations  of  the  ensuing  year.  It  is  gratifying  to 
add  that  the  convention  comes  out  of  the  trials  of  the  last 
four  years  entirely  free  from  debt,  and  can  enter  upon  the 


DESTRUCTION    AND    RECONSTEUCTION  173 

duties  before  her  unfettered  by  that  greatest  of  all  evils — 
financial  embarrassment. 

"The  subject  of  a  denominational  organ  has  a  large 
share  of  the  attention  of  the  board,  and  but  for  the  extraor- 
dinary events  of  the  past  year  would  have  been  presented 
to  this  convention  accompanied  with  some  evidences  of  suc- 
cessful eflfort.  A  printer  of  great  experience  was  found 
who,  with  a  list  of  five  hundred  subscribers,  would  assume 
all  the  expenses  and  risks  of  publication.  Editors  were 
appointed  by  the  board,  who  were  to  render  their  services 
gratuitously.  A  prospectus  was  issued  and  a  specimen 
number,  and  the  brethren  invited  to  the  support  of  The 
Christian  Herald.  But  just  at  this  point  the  crisis  in  our 
national  affairs  was  reached  and  the  enterprise  abandoned 
as  for  a  time  hopeless. 

"But  the  necessity  of  a  paper  grows  more  pressing  every 
day.  It  is  impossible  to  gather  and  wield  the  strength  of 
the  denomination  without  it.  Brethren  become  strangers  to 
each  other ;  Christian  sympathy  and  affection  are  dimin- 
ished ;  our  benevolent  enterprises  langviish  and  fail  for  the 
want  of  a  united  support ;  we  are  exposed  to  assault  without 
any  available  means  of  defense,  and  misrepresentation  with- 
out the  power  to  correct.  We  cannot  publish  to  the  denomi- 
nation an  item  of  general  intelligence  without  asking  it  as 
a  favor  of  a  secular  paper,  or  paying  for  it  with  money  that 
ought  to  go  to  the  support  of  our  own  interests.  There  is 
scarcely  a  head  of  a  family  in  our  denomination  but  cark 
take  a  weekly  religious  newspaper  and  pay  for  it  in  advance 
^ — he  then  has,  besides  his  own  intellectual  and  religious 
improvement  and  that  of  his  family,  the  pleasure  of  creat- 
ing and  placing  in  the  hands  of  the  church  an  instrument 
of  unmeasured  good.  Should  a  Baptist  paper  be  offered 
you  during  the  present  year  professedly  devoted  to  the 
interests  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Texas  we  would 
urge  you  to  hasten  to  its  support ;  give  it  an  honest  trial, 
and  if  it  does  not  fairly  meet  the  wants  of  the  denomina- 
tion drop  it  and  wait  for  one  that  does ;  for  such  an  one 
will  surely  be  established  if  the  brethren  demand  it  and  will 
sustain  it. 

"At  the   recent  meetins:  of  the   Union  Association  the 


174  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

preliminary  steps  were  taken  for  the  assembling  of  a  Sun- 
day-school convention  at  Independence  upon  the  Saturday 
before  the  fifth  Sabbath  in  October.  To  this  convention 
Sunday-schools,  churches,  sister  associations  and  this  con- 
vention were  invited  to  send  delegates.  When  assembled 
and  organized  it  will  be  an  independent  body  of  Baptist 
brethren  created  for  the  support  of  encouraging,  promoting 
and  fostering  Sabbath  schools  for  the  religious  training  of 
the  young.  It  is  hoped  that  the  request  of  Union  Associa- 
tion wall  receive  the  consideration  which  the  importance 
of  the  object  in  view  demands. 

"Domestic  missions  are  the  cornerstone  of  the  conven- 
tion. The  contribution  of  the  brethren  are  for  the  most 
part  directed  to  this  object,  and  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
employed  during  the  recess  of  the  convention  in  selecting 
and  sending  forth  suitable  men  to  carry  the  gospel  into 
destitute  parts  of  the  state.  What  will  be  the  extent  of 
these  operations  during  the  present  conventional  year  is  an 
inquiry  of  great  interest.  The  board  in  making  appoint- 
ments does  not  go  beyond  the  means  in  the  treasury,  and 
the  present  condition  of  the  country  does  not  warrant  us 
in  looking  for  large  contributions  as  a  basis  for  missionary 
appointments.  Whatever  amount  is  placed  at  the  disposal 
of  the  board  will  no  doubt  be  so  disbursed  as  to  accomplish 
the  greatest  good.  But  few  have  an  adequate  idea  of  the 
extent  of  territory  covered  by  this  convention.  It  would 
take  one  hundred  missionaries  to  supply  the  destitute  places 
with  preaching  once  a  month  and  annual  contributions  of 
fifty  or  sixty  thousand  dollars.  The  contributions  for  sev- 
eral years  before  the  war  w^ere  not  sufficient  to  send  out 
more  than  four  or  five  missionaries.  Of  course,  almost  the 
entire  field  is  left  unoccupied.  It  is  not  surprising  that 
many  churches  and  associations,  not  being  aware  of  the 
magnitude  of  the  work  and  the  limited  means  of  the  con- 
vention, should  think  themselves  neglected  and  become  in- 
different to  the  convention  and  its  interests.  A  statement  of 
facts  which  could  easily  be  made  through  a  denominational 
paper  would  go  far  towards  restoring  the  confidence  that 
ought  to  prevail  between  all  the  associations  and  churches 
and  the  convention. 


DESTRUCTION    AND    RECONSTRUCTION  175 

"It  has  been  a  matter  of  serious  doubt  in  the  minds  of 
some  whether  the  present  plan  of  operations  is  exactly 
adapted  to  the  existing  facts.  The  extent  of  territory  is 
such  that  the  board,  located  at  a  given  point,  must  depend 
almost  entirely  on  evidence,  and  that  given  frequently  by 
incompetent  parties,  in  determining  upon  destitute  fields  and 
upon  those  of  the  greatest  importance.  That  mistakes 
should  sometimes  be  made  is,  under  such  circumstances,  un- 
avoidable. Some  think  that  the  work  should  be  left  alto- 
gether to  the  association,  and  for  this  strong  reasons  exist. 
Others  believe  that  while  all  contributions  for  domestic  mis- 
sions should  be  sent  to  the  convention,  the  associations 
should  be  requested  to  designate  the  field  within  their 
respective  bounds  most  proper  to  be  occupied,  and  also  the 
missionary  or  missionaries  they  would  prefer  should  be 
appointed.  This  would  unquestionably  secure  the  best  ap- 
pointments in  the  most  destitute  places,  and  would  perhaps 
go  far  in  bringing  all  the  associations  into  harmonious 
co-operation  with  the  convention.  Under  any  circumstances 
all  individual  Baptists,  all  the  churches,  all  the  associations 
and  the  convention  should  regard  each  other  as  working 
together  in  a  common  cause,  as  bound  by  a  common  bond, 
and  as  actuated  by  none  but  the  highest  and  holiest  motives 
— as  working  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  man. 

"The  time  has  fully  arrived  when  the  Baptists  should 
be  a  united  body ;  when  all  differences  sliould  be  repressed, 
so  far  as  they  affect  the  strength  of  usefulness  of  the  de- 
nomination, and,  when  all,  seeing  eye  to  eye,  standing  shoul- 
der to  shoulder  with  hearts  filled  with  the  all-pervading  love 
of  God,  sympathizing  with  each  other's  trials,  bearing  each 
other's  burdens,  and  fired  with  a  holy  zeal  for  God  and  for 
His  truth,  shall  dwell  together  in  unity,  be  bound  with 
mutual  sympathy  and  affection,  and  together  look  for  that 
glorious  crown  of  rejoicing  which  the  blessed  Redeemer 
has  prepared  for  those  wdio  labor  faithfully  and  wait  pa- 
tiently for  his  appearing." 

This  faithful  picture  of  the  situation  brings  fully  before 
us  the  stressful  condition  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas  during 
the  closing  months  of  1865.  But  God  was  directing  agen- 
cies through   which  light  was   to  break  in   the  prevailing 


COL.    \V.    L.    WILLIAMS,    DALLAS,    TEXAS. 


DESTEUCTION    AND    EECONSTRUCTION  177 

gloom.  New  accretions  of  strength  were  being  prepared 
to  relieve  by  a  gradual  process,  a  situation  which  was  lit- 
tle short  of  the  direful.  One  of  these  was  in  the  person 
of  a  man  who  appeared  on  the  scene  at  a  time  when  he  was 
most  needed. 

In  the  early  days  of  1865,  the  Domestic  Mission  Board 
of  the  Southern  Convention  sent  J.  B.  Link  to  the  Trans- 
Mississippi  Department  to  aid  in  the  direction  of  its  mission 
work  in  the  army  west  of  the  Mississippi.  In  Texas  his 
work  was  scarcely  begun  when  the  war  came  to  an  end. 
Naturally  endowed  with  gifts  which  fitted  him  for  journal- 
ism, Mr.  Link  directed  his  attention  toward  Texas  as  a 
sphere  for  the  exercise  of  his  endowments.  Aside  from 
his  natural  aptitude  for  such  work,  he  was  equipped  with 
other  powers  which,  when  combined  with  those  of  the 
editor,  fitted  him  to  become  a  leader.  Providence  had  pre- 
pared a  large  sphere  for  him  in  Texas,  and  through  a  long 
period  of  years  he  occupied  it  with  such  distinction  that  he 
won  the  confidence  and  honor  of  his  brethren,  while  he 
contributed  most  patiently  to  the  resuscitation  of  the  cause 
in  Texas  during  the  crucial  years  which  followed  the  close 
of  the  war. 

J.  B.  Link  brought  to  his  new  sphere  in  the  West  an 
educated  mind  and  a  consecrated  heart.  Born  in  Virginia 
in  1828,  he  was  converted  at  the  early  age  of  ten  and  entered 
the  ministry  when  he  was  twenty-two  years  old.  Graduat- 
ing from  Georgetown  College,  Kentucky,  he  pursued  his 
theological  studies  to  graduation  in  Rochester  Theological 
Seminary.  He  served  as  pastor  in  Missouri  and  Kentucky, 
and  while  in  Missouri  was  employed  as  financial  agent  of 
William  Jewell  College  and  raised  $20,000  for  that  institu- 
tion. He  served  as  chaplain  during  most  of  the  time  of  the 
war  between  the  states.  In  1865,  as  we  have  seen,  he  was 
providentially  led  to  Texas.  To  him  the  situation  in  Texas 
was  not  such  as  to  inspire  confidence.  The  Baptists  had 
been  without  an  organ  for  years,  there  were  frictional  dif- 
ferences in  the  denominational  ranks,  and  these  differences 
served  little  to  relieve  the  general  depression.  Mr.  Link 
would  have  abandoned  the  thought  of  undertaking  a  paper 
but  for  the  timely  advice  of  brethren  whose  judgment  he 


178  HISTORY    01^    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

respected.  Associatini;  witli  himself  Revs.  R.  H.  Taliaferro 
and  D.  B.  Morrill,  Doctor  Link  began  the  publication  of  the 
Texas  Baptist  Herald  in  December.  1865.  I'^or  more  than 
twenty  years  J.  15.  Link  was  a  prominent  leader  among 
Texas  Baptists,  fully  sharing  in  the  ordeals  of  a  period  that 
tested  the  hearts  of  men,  and  no  name  is  mentioned  with 
more  honor  in  Texas  than  that  of  J.  B.  Link.  His  record 
will  be  embraced  in  the  subsequent  chapters  of  this  record. 

Crushed  as  the  peo]ile  were  it  was  not  a  time  for  idle 
repining.  The  veterans  of  the  r)aptist  cause  had  experienced 
dark  days  before,  and  were  therefore  not  unprepared  to 
meet  the  emergencies  of  the  hour.  The  land-marks  must 
be  restored,  the  stakes  reset  and  the  languished  cause  again 
placed  on  its  feet.  Rehabilitation  was  the  watchword  of 
the  hour.  Men  of  God  must  relegate  differences  to  the  rear 
and  subordinate  themselves  to  the  will  of  Providence  in 
re-establishing  the  prostrate  interests  of  a  common  cause. 
Such  happily  was  the  spirit  which  actuated  them  in  a  trying 
period  and  such  was  the  sanction  of  the  paper  begun  by 
J.  B.  Link  in  1865.  Conservative  and  conciliatory  from 
the  outset  it  won  the  confidence  of  the  leaders  and  the  peo- 
ple, and  let  in  a  beam  of  light  on  the  prevailing  gloom. 
Great  things  were  not  at  first  attempted,  but  practicable 
measures  were  adopted,  which  measures  carried  with  them 
prophetic  possibilities.  The  political  situation  was  by  no 
means  assuring,  but  quite  the  contrary,  was  just  such  as 
to  aggravate  the  most  trying  of  situations.  With  that  flexi- 
bility for  which  the  Anglo-Saxon  is  noted,  and  with  that 
spirit  of  endurance  and  hopefulness  which  rarely  deserts 
him,  the  people  calmly  met  the  issue  of  the  times  and 
awaited  the  future. 

While  the  political  situation  in  the  South  grew  grad- 
ually worse,  there  were  such  shifts  and  changes  as  to 
awaken  among  the  Baptists  of  Texas  a  promise  of  better 
things.  There  was  life  in  the  old  land  yet,  and  God  reigned. 
As  rapidly  as  possible  advantages  were  seized  and  pressed 
to  still  others.  In  February,  1866,  the  Law  Department  in 
Baylor  L^niversity  was  revived  with  a  corps  of  competent 
professors,  at  the  head  of  which  was  placed  R.  T.  Smith. 
The   friction  which  had  long  existed  between  the  depart- 


DESTRUCTION    AND    RECONSTRUCTION  179 

ments  of  the  two  sexes  at  Baylor  University,  and  which  had 
been  the  occasion  of  much  disturbance,  was  happily  ended 
in  September,  1866,  when  the  two  departments  by  act  of 
the  legislature  were  resolved  into  two  separate  and  distinct 
institutions,  the  one  for  women  and  girls  being  called  "Bay- 
lor Female  College." 

The  allusion  made  in  the  annual  report  of  the  corre- 
sponding secretary,  Rev.  Horace  Clarke,  to  the  Sunday- 
school  convention  called  by  the  Union  Association  to  meet 
at  Independence,  is  recalled  by  the  fact  that  the  convention 
was  held  at  the  time  appointed  and  with  the  most  whole- 
some results.  It  gave  impetus  to  that  branch  of  the  work 
in  the  state  which  needed  revival  after  the  close  of  the  ter- 
rible conflict  between  the  states. 

When  the  Baptist  State  Convention  met  at  Independence 
in  1866  there  were  some  signs  of  returning  life.  Many  rep- 
resentatives were  present  as  correspondents  from  other  bod- 
ies, among  whom  were  those  from  the  Louisiana  and  the 
Domestic  Mission  Board  of  Marion,  Alabama,  the  Sunday- 
school  and  Colportage  Union  and  the  East  Texas  Conven- 
tion. Reports  showed  that  there  was  a  resumption  of  activ- 
ity on  the  field  in  Texas  with  hopeful  signs  of  returning 
spiritual  prosperity.  The  officers  of  the  State  Convention 
in  1866  were:  H.  L.  Graves,  president;  W.  C.  Crane,  J.  H. 
Stribling  and  P.  B.  Chandler,  vice  presidents ;  G.  W.  Graves, 
recording  secretary,  and  B.  S.  Fitzgerald,  corresponding 
secretary.  The  Bible  Board,  which  had  been  created  the 
year  before,  was  enabled  to  report  some  progress  in  the 
work  undertaken.  Nor  had  the  subject  of  general  missions 
been  neglected.  Agents  had  been  active  in  reviving  interest 
in  foreign  and  home  missions,  and  Doctor  William  Howard, 
as  the  agent  of  the  latter  interest,  had  collected  during  the 
year  $4,000.  This  was  the  introduction  of  Doctor  Howard 
to  Texas  Baptists.  A  typical  Englishman,  he  had  all  the 
sterling  qualities  of  a  genuine  representative  of  his  people. 
Deliberate,  solid,  broad,  a  gentleman  of  pleasing  address 
and  of  superior  mental  equipment,. he  was  a  valuable  acquisi- 
tion to  the  ranks  of  the  Texas  ministry.  His  gifts  made 
him  a  popular  preacher,  while  his  warm  heart  and  cordial 
spirit  brought  him  into  affectionate  relations  with  the  lead- 


180  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

ing  men  of  the  ministry  of  the  state  of  his  adoption,  as  well 
as  with  those  of  the  Southern  Convention. 

After  a  brief  struggle  to  get  afoot,  the  Texas  Baptist 
Herald  finally  became  a  permanent  fixture  under  J.  B.  Link, 
and  was  the  chief  agency  in  removing  a  number  of  local 
difificulties  and  in  reuniting  the  scattered  forces  of  Texas 
at  a  time  when  it  was  most  needed.  The  paper  met  precisely 
the  demands  of  the  situation,  and  with  the  return  of  denomi- 
national prosperity  the  Texas  Baptist  Herald  was  in  the 
lead.  The  finger  of  Providence  had  pointed  J.  B.  Link  to 
Texas  for  such  a  time  as  this. 

The  churches  of  Texas  now  began  slowly  to  return  with 
becoming  loyalty  to  the  promotion  of  the  general  work, 
the  efficiency  of  which  had  been  practically  suspended  dur- 
ing the  period  of  the  Civil  War.  This  was  a  time  of  sore 
trial  to  the  people  of  the  entire  South.  Reconstruction 
was  doing  its  deadly  work,  and  its  record  is  one  of  the 
darkest  chapters  in  American  history.  Military  domination 
was  a  fearful  barrier  to  the  resuscitation  of  Southern  inter- 
ests. Prostrated  by  the  war,  the  condition  under  reconstruc- 
tion imposed  a  burden  twice  as  great  on  the  people  of  the 
South,  and  hope  and  prediction  were  unable  to  pierce  the 
darkness  of  the  future.  Endurance  was  put  to  the  severest 
test,  and  nothing  was  left  but  to  wait. 

It  does  not  belong  to  the  province  of  this  narrative  to 
descend  into  the  details  of  the  political  history  of  this 
period  and  furnish  the  horrible  details  and  diabolical  out- 
working of  the  system  called  reconstruction,  but  it  cer- 
tainly illustrates  equally  the  dominant  statecraft  of  the 
time,  as  well  as  the  narrow,  revengeful  spirit  of  the  suc- 
cessful section  in  a  terribly  unequal  conflict.  Be  it  said  to 
the  credit  of  Southern  Baptists  in  this  era  of  trial,  that  so 
far  from  being  betrayed  into  hostility  toward  the  unfortu- 
nate negro  about  whom  now  gathered  all  questions  politi- 
cal, and  who  in  his  blindness  and  ignorance,  while  flushed 
with  the  sudden  boon  of  freedom,  was  emboldened  to  un- 
natural lengths  of  impertinence,  our  people  came  to  his 
rescue  and  sought  to  lead  him  aright.  The  conditions 
growing  out  of  the  mercenary  use  of  the  ex-slave  by  a 
horde    of   unscrupulous    adventurers    arrayed    against   the 


•       DESTEUCTION    AND    RECONSTEUCTION  181 

negro  the  passions  incident  to  such  a  time  when  he  needed 
just  the  friendship  which  the  Baptists  gave.  He  was  re- 
garded with  pity,  and  efforts  in  his  behalf  were  unremit- 
ting. It  was  a  time  when  the  negro  iieeded  spiritual  as 
well  as  political  freedom.  In  the  Baptist  State  Convention 
of  Texas  in  1866  when  passions  were  fiercest-,  it  was  pro- 
posed to  adopt  such  measures  as  would  contribute  to  the 
welfare  of  the  negro,  and  both  by  secular  and  sacred 
instruction,  bring  him  into  a-  proper  appreciation  of  his 
new  relations  and  seek  to  make  of  him  a  citizen  and  a 
Christian. 

The  new  organization  which  had  come  into  existence 
in  1865  through  the  agency  of  the  Union  Association,  and 
which  came  to  be  known  as  the  Texas  Baptist  Sabbath 
School  and  Colportage  Union,  had  within  a  year  entered 
on  a  useful  career.  The  period  was  propitious,  and  the 
efforts  employed  in  so  commendable  an  undertaking  were 
timely.  In  its  organization  the  purposes  of  this  new  body 
were  set  forth  in  its  constitution :  "The  objects  of  this 
Union  shall  be  the  promotion  of  the  Sabbath  school  enter- 
prise by  providing  the  ways  and  means  for  the  establish- 
ment of  Sabbath  schools  throughout  the  state,  where  they 
do  not  exist,  and  in  general  take  all  necessary  measures  for 
the  furtherance  of  this  great  religious  interest.  It  shall 
also  be  the  object  of  this  Union  to  establish'and  carry  out 
a  system  of  colportage  through  which  a  sound  religious 
literature  suitable  to  all  our  religious  wants  may  be  pro- 
vided for  the  people  of  Texas." 

The  prime  movers  in  this  enterprise  included  such  men 
as  R.  E.  B.  Baylor,  W.  C.  Crane,  F.  M.  Law,  Hosea  Gar- 
rett, J.  W.  Terrell,  S.  S.  Cross,  M.  V.  Smith  and  J.  H. 
Stribling.  In  1867  the  name  of  the  body  was  changed  to 
that  of  the  Texas  Baptist  Sunday  School  and  Corportage 
Convention.  The  operations  of  this  body  brought  timely 
relief  to  many  quarters  of  the  state,  and  revealed  a  destitu- 
tion which,  had  it  not  been  supplied  by  its  opportune  inter- 
vention, might  have  resulted  in  serious  social  and  moral 
disaster.  In  a  number  of  counties  the  active  corresponding 
secretary  of  the  Sunday-school  Convention,  Rev.  S.  S. 
Cross,  found  no  Sunday-schools  and  was  able  to  organize 


MUS.  W.  L.  WILLIAMS,  DALLAS,  TEXAS. 

(\A'as  l)()rn  noar  (ireonficld.  Mo..  Feb.  5,  1,S44.  Tier  father,  IJev. 
Simpson  I<.  Hcoklcy,  was  a  IJaptist  ininistor,  and  tlip  home  life  of  their 
large  family  was  strictly  relifrioiis.  Ilor  ('(hiealional  advantasies  were 
meager,  allhont;!!  the  Ix'st  thr  frontif-r  afforded.  From  the  rime  that  she 
was  a  mere  child  slic  oajjrcrly  availed  hcrst'lf  of  every  opiiortunity  to  learn 
something.  She  read  and  absorbed  every  book  ami  paper  that  was  per- 
mitted to  be  brought  into  her  father's  home  At  the  age  of  12  she  joined 
the  Kaprist  ("hurch  at  (Jreentield.  The  experiences  and  vicissitudes  of  the 
Civil   War  seemed  only   to   strengthen   and  develop   the   fine   traits   of  her 


DESTKUCTION    AND    EECONSTEUCTIOX  183 

such.  Many  schools  were  begun  which  in  after  years 
proved  to  be  proHfic  sources  of  rehgious  sentiment,  which 
made  a  significant  contribution  to  the  growing  greatness  of 
the  denomination.  No  interest  was  more  popular,  and  the 
generous  response  on  the  part  of  the  public  showed  the 
recognition  of  the  existing  need. 

To  the  disasters  entailed  by  the  war  and  imposed  by 
reconstruction,  was  added  in  1867  the  scourge  of  yellow- 
fever.  While  confined  to  the  southern  border  of  the  state, 
its  influence  was  depressing  throughout  Texas.  For  a  period 
of  months  it  ravished  the  coast  country  and  its  infectious 
touch  spread  far  inland.  It  occasioned  the  delay  of  the 
meeting  of  the  State  Convention  for  that  year,  and  the  ses- 
sion was  held  at  Gonzales  in  November.  The  attendance 
was  thin,  there  being  only  thirty-nine  messengers,  but  under 
the  prevailing  conditions  this  was  thought  to  be  an  encour- 
aging attendance.  Up  to  this  time  the  convention  had 
not  resumed  the  direction  of  its  general  evangelistic  agen- 
cies, and  whatever  missionary  work  had  been  done  was 
accomplished  entirely  by  local  associations  under  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  board.  Even  so  early  as  this  was  there  the  rec- 
ognition of  the  necessity  of  a  Baptist  history  of  the  state, 
and  resolutions  looking  to  the  preparation  of  such  a  work 
were  adopted,  but  with  no  practical  result.  The  officers 
of  the  Gonzales  Convention  were :  H.  L.  Graves,  presi- 
dent; W.  C.  Crane,  H.  F.  Buckner  and  J.  W.  D.  Creath, 
vice  presidents ;  H.  Clarke,  recording  secretary,  and  B.  S. 
Fitzgerald,  corresponding  secretary.  It  was  reported 
that  both  the  schools  at  Independence  had  been  forced  to 
suspend   because   of   the   yellow   fever,   but  that  they   had 

character.  She  came  to  Texa.s  and  was  married  to  W.  L.  Williams,  Feb. 
l.S,  1866.  Rev.  Richard  B.  Burleson  officiating.  She  and  her  husband 
moved  to  Dallas  in  the  winter  of  1<S67.  and  they,  with  nine  others, 
organized  the  First  Baptist  Church,  July  .30,  1868.'  From  that  day  to 
the  present,  even  with  the  care  of  rearing  her  large  family,  her  heart 
has  been  in  her  church  work.  She  took  part  in  the  organization  of  the 
various  societies  which  have  come  into  existence  with  the  development  of 
the  church.  She  was  elected  President  of  the  Baptist  Women  Mission 
Workers  at  their  annual  meeting  at  Belton  in  180.5.  She  was  re-elected 
each  succeeding  year  till  1906.  when  the  health  of  her  youngest  son  failed 
and  she  offered  herself  a  voluntary  exile  from  her  church  and  home  and 
friends  to  go  to  another  climate  in  search  of  health  for  her  loved  one. 
Being  thus  removed  from  the  headquarters  of  the  state  work,  she  re- 
signed it  to  take  up  with  her  characteristic  devotion,  this  last  "labor  of 
love.") 


184  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

reopened  with  the  advent  of  frost  in  November.  The  ranks 
of  the  convention  had  been  seriously  invaded  by  death 
during  the  past  year,  and  a  number  of  the  valuable  members 
of  the  body  had  passed  away.  Among  these  were  T.  J. 
Jackson  and  John  Stamps,  members  of  the  board,  and  such 
valuable  preachers  as  S.  G.  O'Bryan,  J.  H.  Thurmond  and 
M.  H.  Parr.  The  financial  agent,  J.  W.  D.  Creath,  had 
collected  during  the  year  $1,380.16.  For  the  first  time  the 
plan  of  publishing  a  full  list  of  the  Baptist  ministry  of  the 
state  was  undertaken,  together  with  their  postoffice  ad- 
dresses.   This  was  due  to  the  enterprise  of  Doctor  Link. 

The  history  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas  would  be  incom- 
plete without  a  proper  record  of  the  struggles  undergone 
by  Doctor  Link  in  seeking  to  establish  the  Texas  Baptist 
Herald  on  the  heels  of  the  war.  Already  allusion  has  been 
made  to  the  occasion  of  undertaking  such  a  v-enture,  but  so 
important  an  ally  to  the  work  of  the  denomination  during 
the  period  of  its  emergence  from  the  wreck  and  ruin  of 
war  deserves  that  more  be  said  concerning  it.  Assuming 
entire  responsibility  in  the  publication  of  the  Texas  Baptist 
Herald,  Doctor  Link  exhausted  his  resources  in  the  first 
edition  to  the  limit  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents.  The  first 
issue  gave  great  satisfaction  and  awoke  much  interest  by 
its  solid  and  intrinsic  merit.  The  enterprising  proprietor 
realized  that  no  permanent  success  could  be  achieved  inde- 
pendent of  personal  ownership  of  the  fixtures  necessary  for 
such  publication.  To  enable  him  to  procure  the  outfit  neces- 
sary a  number  of  brethren  came  to  his  relief  and  furnished 
the  means.  There  were  J.  W.  Barnes,  J.  L.  Green,  R.  S. 
Thomas  and  David  White,  each  of  whom  furnished  $150, 
while  E.  A.  Forester,  Ira  M.  Camp  and  Willet  Holmes 
each  contributed  $100  with  which  to  purchase  an  outfit.  It 
was  then,  as  it  has  been  since  with  Texas  Baptists,  when 
a  juncture  was  reached  requiring  an  expenditure  to  promote 
denominational  enterprises,  God  has  raised  up  men  with 
willing  hearts  to  supply  the  financial  deficiency.  This  has 
been  the  honorable  record  made  in  this  state  from  the 
beginning,  and  the  increasing  demands  with  the  growth 
of  greater  enterprises  have  been  met  by  men  of  correspond- 
ingly great  means.     Back  of  the  enterprises  which  have 


DESTEUCTION    AND    EECONSTEUCTION  185 

made  Texas  Baptists  great,  and  which  have  brought  them 
into  the  gaze  of  the  world,  have  been  Hberal  spirits  whose 
consecrated  means  have  been  ready  when  the  juncture 
came.  Doctor  Link,  with  characteristic  energy  and  wisdom, 
pressed  the  claims  of  the  new  venture  on  the  denomination, 
and  in  the  efforts  to  increase  its  efficiency  and. to  establish 
it  on  a  more  substantial  basis  he  was  sanctioned  by  noble 
men  in  different  parts  of  the  state.  Among  his  most  ardent 
and  substantial  siipporters  was  Rev.  Jonas  Johnston,  who 
was  the  fortunate  possessor  of  a  large  estate,  and  found 
pleasure  in  dispensing  with  liberal  hand  the  means  at  his 
command.  His  sympathy  and  aid  at  this  time  were  most 
invaluable. 

As  the  times  improved  there  came  a  revival  in  the  edu- 
cational spirit  of  our  people.  This  had  languished,  as  had  all 
things  else  during  the  war,  but  with  the  coming  of  better  and 
brighter  days  came  the  old-time  spirit  of  education.  There 
still  lingered  in  the  minds  of  many  the  controlling  thought 
that  Baylor  University  should  be  removed,  and  this  senti- 
ment grew  slowly  with  time.  Waco  University,  under  the 
nominal  care  of  Waco  Association,  was  increasing  in  attend- 
ance and  usefulness.  The  records  show  that  in  1867  Doctor 
Burleson  enrolled  253  pupils.  The  direction  of  separate  and 
rival  Baptist  interests  in  the  state  was  such  as  to  bring  all 
these  enterprises  into  harmonious  union.  The  time  was  not 
yet  when  through  a  great  general  body  in  any  department 
of  effort,  the  denominational  affairs  of  the  state  could  be 
conducted.  As  yet  separate  organizations  were  necessary 
in  a  territory  so  large  as  is  Texas,  and  these  organizations 
were  the  agencies  which  were  gradually  leading  up  to  the 
consummation  of  great  common  interests  about  which  the 
Baptists  could  center.  Necessarily  detached  and  segregated 
at  a  time  when  methods  of  travel  were  imperfect,  and  when 
intercommunication  was  tardy,  these  interests  were  destined 
to  flow  together  and  form  a  prodigious  whole  when  Provi- 
dence should  open  the  way.  The  Baptist  Convention  of 
Eastern  Texas,  after  a  struggling  existence  of  years,  with 
some  omissions  of  its  annual  sessions,  found  itself  in  1867 
in  a  precarious  condition.  The  session  for  this  year  was 
held  at  Ladonia.     There  was  a  sparse  attendance  and  but 


18G  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

little  spirit.  Life  had  Ijceii  perix'tuated  in  the  organization, 
chietly  through  the  agency  of  1).  1>.  Alorrill,  who  was  the 
financial  secretary  and  general  missionary  of  the  body. 
Among  the  results  mentioned  in  his  annual  report  were 
those  of  arduous  labor,  extensive  travels  over  wide  regions 
of  country,  the  baptism  of  four  hundred  people  in  connec- 
tion with  his  efforts  for  the  year,  the  collection  of  $804.08 
in  cash,  and  pledges  to  the  amount  of  $1,263.42.  At  the  ses- 
sion of  1867  the  name  of  the  organization  was  changed  to 
that  of  "The  Baptist  General  Association  of  Texas,"'  which 
name  it  retained  for  many  years. 

Conditions  at  this  time  in  eastern  Texas  were  not  en- 
couraging. There  was  abundant  lethargy  in  the  churches, 
and  much  of  the  activity  which  did  exist  was  directed 
against  the  State  Convention,  as  it  was  regarded  a  mer- 
cenary body.  In  genuine  democratic  spirit  the  proposed 
change  of  name  was  submitted  to  the  churches  for  ra;:Tnca- 
tion  or  rejection,  and  after  all  had  spoken  on  the  subject  the 
president,  D.  B.  Morrill,  was  to  call-  a  meeting  of  the  body 
that  the  result  might  be  formally  announced.  This  called 
convention  took  place  at  Tyler,  when  the  announcement  was 
made  that  the  change  of  name  was  unanimously  adopted. 
Three  missionaries  were  appointed  to  labor  in  different 
parts  of  the  territory,  and  the  body  under  its  new  name 
seemed  to  enter  on  a  new  lease  of  life.  Delegates  w^ere 
steps  taken  that  indicated  a  revival  of  life. 

This  session  of  the  body  was  soon  followed  by  the  death 
of  the  presiding  officer,  D.  B.  Morrill,  than  whom  there  was 
not  a  better  or  more  useful  man  among  Texas  Baptists. 
Rising  from  obscurity,  his  first  employment  being  that  of 
a  hack  driver  between  Galveston  and  Alatagorda.  he  came 
to  be,  by  dint  of  personal  effort  and  by  the  grace  of  God, 
one  of  the  foremost  preachers  of  his  time  and  a  wise  leader 
among  his  people.  Pushing  his  way  through  Baylor  Uni- 
versity at  Independence,  where  he  labored  arduously  as  a 
student  during  the  week  and  preached  to  poor  churches  on 
Sunday,  he  c([uipped  himself  for  his  life  work.  The  former 
part  of  his  life  was  spent  on  the  frontier  plains  of  western 
Texas  and  the  latter  part  in  eastern  Texas.  His  business 
eve  soon  detected  the  confused  condition  of  the  affairs  of 


DESTRUCTION    AND    RECONSTRUCTION  18? 

the  denomination  in  that  quarter,  where  discordant  elements 
from  the  older  states  had  injected  conflicting  questions,  and 
to  bring  order  out  of  disorder  in  that  region,  and  place  the 
cause  of  Christ  on  a  basis  of  decency  and  dignity,  was  one 
of  the  purposes  of  his  life.  The  revival  of  interest  and  the 
settlement  of  affairs  in  eastern  Texas  were  largely  due  to 
the  efforts  of  this  gcdly  man.  The  brethren  found  delight 
in  honoring  him  as  opportunity  offered,  both  in  eastern  and 
in  northern  Texas,  in  both  of  which  regions  he  labored.  At 
the  time  of  his  death  he  was  president  of  the  General  Asso- 
ciation and  assistant  editor  of  the  Tc.vos  Baptist  Herald. 
His  death  scene  was  one  most  remarkable  and  triumphant. 
He  died  as  he  had  lived — an  example  of  joyous  trust  in 
Christ. 

There  was  deep  meaning  in  the  current  political  phrase 
of  the  tmie — "accepting  the  situation."  To  this  the  people 
of  the  South  were  steadily  coming  in  adjusting  themselves 
to  the  changed  order  of  things,  which  was  little  less  than  a 
reversal  of  the  civilization  of  the  South.  The  people  had 
to  begin  to  live  over  again,  starting  from  a  new  point  of 
existence.  The  next  ten  years  from  1868  marked  the  era 
of  transformation.  There  was  a  dogged  persistency  and  a 
philosophic  resolution  to  face  the  inevitable,  making  the 
most  of  all  that  came  in  the  way.  This  was  the  political 
redemption  of  the  South,  and  put  the  states  of  this  section 
in  control  of  their  own  affairs.  It  was  a  time  when  saga- 
cious capitalists  in  the  North  saw  that  Texas  was  destined 
to  be  a  region  of  immense  population  and  prosperity,  and 
thither  they  began  earnestly  to  direct  their  attention  for 
investment.  The  liberal  off'ers  made  by  the  state  for  build- 
ing railways  were  accepted,  and  immense  lines  were  being 
projected  and  rapidly  built  in  Texas  not  only,  but  into  the 
Republic  of  Mexico  as  well.  Signs  of  prosperity  began  to 
show  themselves  and  the  buoy  of  hope  came  again  to  the 
people.  With  characteristic  vim  the  Baptists  kept  abreast 
of  the  material  development  of  the  state,  and  the  leaders  of 
our  hosts  were  already  seeking  the  wisest  means  of  adjust- 
ing themselves  and  the  mterests  of  the  denomination  to 
the  new  and  changed  conditions.  As  in  all  other  spheres  of 
activity  the  Baptists  had  to  begin  anew.     One  of  their  first 


188  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

cares  was  to  restrict  the  district  associations  as  far  as  prac- 
ticable to  the  counties,  or  to  restrict  the  territory  of  each 
body  in  order  to  the  greatest  efficiency  and  compactness  of 
work.  The  population  of  the  state  was  growing  rapidly,  the 
lands  here  and  there  were  being  eagerly  taken,  new  towns 
and  settlements  were  springing  up  and  the  means  of  com- 
fort of  travel  improving.  Many  of  the  counties  had  already 
become  populous  and  were  destined  within  the  next  few 
years  to  be  more  so,  and  the  wise  counselors  of  the  denomi- 
nation felt  that  a  time  had  come  for  the  great  advancement. 
The  chief  difficulty  lay  in  the  fact  that  their  forces  were 
so  badly  scattered  that  it  was  impossible  to  bring  all  into 
harmonious  action  on  any  given  basis  or  policy.  In  order  to 
security  in  adopting  any  line  of  policy  it  was  necessary  for  a 
thorough  discussion  of  plans,  and  this  required  time.  Up 
to  this  time,  the  State  Convention  had  not  regained  a  solid 
footing  as  a  result  of  the  war,  but  its  promise  at  this  time 
was  most  assuring. 

Nothing  was  plainer  than  that  existing  conditions  could 
not  continue  consistently  with  denominational  progress. 
General  organizations  were  rivals  in  spite  of  themselves,  and 
questions  of  limitations  of  territory  as  belonging  to  this 
body  or  that,  were  already  producing  friction  in  certain 
quarters.  The  same  was  true  of  rival  institutions  of  learn- 
ing. Denominational  sentiment  could  not  thus  remain  di- 
vided and  accomplish  that  which  was  possible  for  a  body 
such  as  the  Baptists  of  Texas  were.  With  less  wisdom  than 
the  denominational  leaders  of  Texas  had  in  such  a  juncture, 
a  single  misstep  might  have  been  disastrous.  Most  fortu- 
nately those  who  were  directing  affairs  at  this  time  were 
men  of  judgment  rather  than  of  passion ;  of  cool  deliberation 
and  firm  conviction  rather  than  precipitate.  In  the  intense 
desire  to  move  forward,  much  grace  was  needed  at  this 
juncture  to  make  men  patient. 

Conditions  in  Texas  differed  most  materially  from  those 
in  any  other  state.  Fresh  installments  of  population  were 
being  injected  into  the  state  every  day  of  the  year.  Many 
of  those  who  came  were  being  received  into  the  churches 
every  Lord's  day.  These  had  brought  with  them  to  the  West 
preconceived  notions  of  church  life  and  customs,  and  on 


DESTKUCTION    AND    RECONSTEUCTION  189 

changing  many  methods  already  existing  some  would  address 
themselves,  and  only  the  wisest  generalship  in  pastoral  posi- 
tions could  avail  to  save  from  absolute  wreck.  Tact  and  in- 
genuity buttressed  on  piety  only,  could  save  the  situation 
where  raw  recruits  were  frequently  more  assertive  than  were 
genuine  veterans.  This  had  always  been  measurably  true  of 
the  Baptists  of  Texas,  but  it  was  now  immensely  and  in- 
tensely so.  That  there  was  friction  is  no  wonder.  That  it 
should  not  have  been  more  serious  is  a  greater  wonder.  That 
the  denomination  should  have  thriven  with  increasing  vigor 
under  such  conditions,  and  that  many  of  the  serious  diffi- 
culties are  far  behind  and  only  a  matter  of  memory,  is  the 
greatest  of  wonders.  The  sage  and  pious  leadership  of  the 
Baptists  of  the  state  is  the  strand  on  which  is  strung  the 
historic  greatness  of  the  denomination  in  the  state. 

Men  are  as  veritably  raised  up  as  divine  agents  now 
as  was  true  when  the  call  came  to  Moses,  to  John  the  Bap- 
tist and  to  the  apostles.  In  all  the  ages  men  are  called  to 
special  functions  in  the  turning  points  of  providential  his- 
tory. To  question  this  is  to  question  the  existence  of  God. 
No  more  striking  illustration  of  this  principle  is  afforded 
than  in  the  inner  working  of  Providence  in  the  direction  of 
affairs  in  this-  large  and  growing  commonwealth.  Steadi- 
ness and  sturdiness,  deliberation  and  consecration,  and  the 
single  aim  of  doing  God's  will  in  the  face  of  opposition 
oftentimes,  and  in  contention  with  obstructions  which  now 
and  then  seemed  insurmountable — -this  is  the  record  trans- 
mitted by  those  who  have  guided  Texas  affairs  to  the  gen- 
erations of  the  future.  To  direct  the  interest  of  a  people, 
the  independent  will  of  each  of  whom  had  to  be  swayed,  not 
by  ecclesiastical  dictum,  but  by  persuasiveness,  requires  the 
diplomacy  of  the  statesman,  the  far-sightedness  of  the 
seer,  the  wisdom  of  the  philosopher  and  the  grace  of  the 
Christian.  Deeds  wrought  in  such  a  sphere  are  without 
the  flare  of  publicity  such  as  is  given  to  the  great  in  national 
council  and  on  fields  of  blood,  but  the  elements  of  great 
management  as  really  prevail  in  one  as  in  the  other.  On 
no  other  basis  can  the  progress  of  the  Baptist  denomination 
be  accounted  for  in  Texas. 

We  are  now  approaching  one  of  the  turning-points  in 


190  HISTORY    OP    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

tlic  I')a])tist  (lenoniinational  history  of  Texas.  Tlie  changes 
in  contemphition  had  to  he  those  of  years.  Suddenness 
would  have  produced  a  shock  and  would  have  carried  within 
itself  the  elements  of  disintegration.  Maturity  presupposes 
growth,  and  growth  requires  time.  "Soon  ripe,  soon  rotten." 
One  of  the  distinct  policies  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas  was 
that  of  the  occupation  of  the  strong  and  promising  centers 


REV.  M.  T.  ANDREWS,  PASTOR,  MARLIN,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Miss.,  1865;  educated  Gillshurg  Institute  and  ^Uss.  Col.; 
taught  several  years ;  was  converted  at  17  ;  joinpd  Baptist  churdi  ;  was 
uiar-ried  IS.Sti  to  Miss  Tlieodosia  Ernest  Coolc  ;  ordained  1889;  was  pastor 
.\mite  City,  La.,  lour  years  ;  came,  to  Texas,  1898  ;  was  pastor  at  Marstiall 
five  years,  since  wliicli  time  he  has  been  pastor  at  Marlin  ;  his  labors  are 
much  sought  in  the  evangelistic  field.) 

of  ]:)()pulati()n  with  men  of  ahility,  and  of  such  ahility  as 
would  he  adjustable  to  the  peculiar  conditions  of  each  field. 
At  certain  i)oints  they  labored  through  many  years  to  main- 
tain interests,  and  for  decades  together  it  was  a  struggle, 
and  in  few  Texas  cities  did  churches  become  strong  until 
within  a  comparatively  late  period.  Among  such  may  be 
named  the  city  of  Dallas.  ■  From  the  village  days  of  that 
prairie  city  efforts  had  been  made  to  root  firmly  a  Baptist 


DESTEUCTION    AND    EECONSTRUCTION  191 

church.  But  a  combination  of  circumstances  stood  directly 
in  the  way.  One  was  that  but  few  Baptists  removed  to 
Dallas  in  its  infantile  days,  and  really  not  until  it  assumed 
the  pretentions  of  a  city  were  there  sufficient  Baptists  to  be 
found  within  it  to  constitute  a  church.  This  was  not  true 
of  other  denominations.  They  were  enabled  to  plant 
churches  there  and  to  maintain  them  long  before  the  Bap- 
tists could  gain  the  semblance  of  a  footing.  Repeated 
efforts  had  been  made  to  constitute  a  vital  church,  but  with- 
out avail.  It  is  said  that  Rev.  Davis  Myers  was  the  first 
Baptist  to  preach  in  Dallas.  He  is  certainly  the  first  who 
is  known  to  have  done  so.  He  visited  the  village  on  June 
I,  1846,  while  on  a  missionary  tour,  and  preached  to  a  small 
crowd.  At  intervals  missionaries  in  their  tours  toward  the 
west  and  north  would  stop  in  the  settlement  and  preach. 
On  October  19,  1857,  a  church  organization  was  efifected 
through  the  combined  efforts  of  Revs.  J.  M.  Myers  and 
C.  N.  Pierce.  Rev.  Jacob  Routh  became  the  first  pastor 
of  this  infant  enterprise,  which  was  destined  to  be  short- 
lived, for  it  became  extinct  in  i860.  It  seems  that  there  were 
certain  conditions  in  the  way  of  the  maintenance  of  the 
church,  and  other  conditions  had  to  be  created  before  there 
was  a  show  of  permanent  success.  So  on  the  day  follow- 
ing the  dissolution,  the  First  church  was  organized,  wdiich 
was  February  13.  i860.  This  latter  organization  w^as 
effected  by  Jacob  Routh  and  Joshua  W.  Terrell,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  fourteen.  Though  there  seems  to  have  been 
valuable  material  accessible  for  the  constitution  of  a  new 
church,  the  undertaking  could  make  no  headway.  One  of 
the  principal  reasons  was  that  the  Baptist  preachers  of  that 
region  were  farmers,  including  the  pastor  himself.  These 
resided  in  the  country,  and  sought  to  maintain  stated  worship 
in  the  grow'ing  town  by  preaching  at  regular  or  irregular 
intervals,  depending  mainly  on  the  condition  of  the  weather 
and  the  roads.  This  placed  the  Baptist  cause  in  marked  con- 
trast wdth  other  denominations  which  continued  regular  and 
consistent  worship,  as  well  as  pastoral  oversight  and  dili- 
gence. Then,  too,  the  most  substantial  portion  of  the  mem- 
bership of  the  young  and  struggling  Baptist  interest  were 
themselves   residents  of  the  country,   who  would   drive  to 


192  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

town  on  occasions  of  Sunday  worship,  and  would  be  seen  no 
more  till  the  return  of  the  next  Sabbath,  and  not  then  unless 
the  weather  was  favorable  and  the  roads  good.  The  inef- 
fectual efforts  to  observe  and  maintain  regular  services 
because  of  the  inconvenience  which  resulted  to  the  country 
membership,  finally  induced  the  removal  of  the  First  church 
to  Pleasant  View  school-house,  three  or  four  miles  toward 
the  northeast.  This  surrendered  again  the  growing  town 
to  other  denominations.  The  church  at  Pleasant  View 
became  a  prosperous  country  church,  but  it  failed  to  touch 
the  growing  population  of  the  town.  The  name  was  finally 
changed  to  that  of  Pleasant  View  Baptist  church,  which 
change  took  place  on  August  15,  1863.  The  repeated  fail- 
ures to  establish  a  Baptist  church  in  Dallas  induced  the 
erroneous  conclusion  that  such  a  thing  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. Dallas  became  a  proverbial  terror  to  the  missionary, 
and  was  commonly  referred  to  as  "a  desperately  hard  place 
for  Baptists,"  and  after  so  many  fruitless  efforts  no  preacher 
could  be  found  who  had  the  heart  to  undertake  another 
church  in  the  town.  There  were  Baptists  scattered  through 
the  population  of  the  town,  but  they  were  either  going  into 
the  ranks  of  other  denominations  or  else  had  lapsed  into 
indifference.  It  was  reserved  for  a  Baptist  layman.  Colonel 
W.  L.  Williams,  to  revive  the  interest,  twice  abandoned. 
Removing  to  Dallas  in  1867  he  could  find  few  or  none  in 
Dallas  who  claimed  to  be  Baptists.  From  the  members  of 
the  nearest  church  at  Pleasant  View  he  learned  of  the 
whereabouts  of  certain  members  in  the  town.  The  year 
following  other  pronounced  Baptists  than  Colonel  Williams 
settled  in  the  town.  With  these  Colonel  Williams  united  in 
an  effort  to  hold  a  series  of  meetings,  which  served  to  induce 
some  from  their  hiding-places,  and  the  meeting  resulted  in 
bringing  together  eleven  Baptist  members,  and  on  July  30, 
1868,  another  effort  was  made  to  found  a  church  which  has 
been  perpetuated  to  this  day  as  the  First  Baptist  church  of 
Dallas.  Another  regular  constitution  was  entered  into  and 
W.  W.  Harris  became  pastor.  Again  the  church  entered  on 
an  irregular  career  of  service,  and  after  some  months  the 
pastor  resigned.  The  former  history  of  the  enterprise  seemed 
about  to   be  repeated,  but  the  sturdy  membership   under 


DESTEUCTION    AND.    RECONSTRUCTION  193 

Colonel  Williams  was  determined  to  maintain  worship  at  all 
hazards.  For  almost  three  years  the  church  was  in  a  pastor- 
less  condition,  but  the  little  band  continued  steadfast  in  the 
faith  and  declined  to  forsake  the  assembling  of  themselves 
together  as  the  manner  had  been  aforetime.  Finally  they 
hit  on  the  happy  expediency  of  organizing  a  prayer-meet- 
ing. It  was  not  till  October  8,  1871,  that  Rev.  C.  A.  Stan- 
ton was  chosen  pastor  for  half  of  his  time.  Meanwhile  Mrs 
A.  E.  Prather  had  been  received  on  profession  of  faith  and 
was  baptized  at  Trinity  by  Rev.  S.  S.  Cross.  Not  to  pursue 
the  history  of  an  individual  church  further,  here  is  afforded 
an  apt  illustration  of  the  admonition :  "Be  not  weary  in 
well-doing,  for  in  due  season  ye  shall  reap  if  ye  faint  not," 
and  of  that  proverb  so  supplementary  of  the  last  quotation : 
"If  ye  faint  in  the  day  of  adversity  thy  strength  is  small." 
Faith  wedded  to  strength  of  will  is  destined  to  bring  whole- 
sale results.  That  which  Colonel  Williams  did  without 
falter  of  faith  was  what  might  have  been  done  years  before 
when  Dallas  was  shunned,  even  to  practical  abandonment  by 
Baptist  missionaries  and  others. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

AN    ERA   OF   ACTIVITY   AND  AGITATION. 

Three  years  of  renewed  activity  since  the  close  of  hos- 
tilities between  the  states,  had  resulted  in  much  fundamental 
denominational  work  in  Texas.  The  trying  political  condi- 
tions had  prostrated  every  interest,  and  there  was  little  heart 
to  labor  where  the  odds  were  so  immense.  Many  succumbed 
entirely  to  the  stress  of  the  times,  but  the  men  in  the  ranks 
of  the  Baptists,  who  had  been  the  file  leaders  in  the  past, 
were  still  achieving,  still  pursuing.  The  cessation  of  gen- 
eral activity  during  the  war,  followed  by  the  peculiar  condi- 
tions of  the  reconstruction  era,  led  to  the  creation  of  new 
questions,  to  some  of  which  allusion  has  already  been  made. 
Various  suggestions  were  made  concerning  the  future  plans 
and  policies  of  the  denomination,  and  divergent  views  were 
indulged  in  which  made  the  period  a  pivotal  one.  Original 
differences  were  not  forgotten,  and  in  some  instances  efforts 
were  made  to  revive  them.  One  of  the  most  serious  of 
these  was  the  division  of  sentiment  between  those  who  re- 
sided in  eastern  Texas  and  those  in  other  parts  of  the  state. 
Time  was  necessary  to  heal  these,  and  the  policy  recom- 
mended by  wisdom  was  that  of  patience.  Another  question 
which  gave  rise  to  contention  was  that  of  the  removal  of 
the  two  schools  from  Independence.  The  attendance  on 
Baylor  University  was  declining,  while  that  on  Waco  Uni- 
versity was  steadily  increasing.  President  Crane  was  wres- 
tling with  giant  difficulties  in  the  face  of  waning  hope.  But 
the  railway  lines  and  the  rapid  peopling  of  the  fertile  lands 
in  northern  Texas  were  against  him,  and  mocked  his  plucky 
efforts  to  hold  out  against  odds.  The  sore  experiment  in 
eastern  Texas,  alone  prevented  at  this  time  the  attempt  to 
revive  another  and  third  educational  interest  in  that  part  of 
the  state.    Conditions  were  now  such  that  if  the  educational 

194 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  195 

question  could  be  settled,  it  would  prove  a  dissolvent  of  the 
chief  difficulty  with  which  the  denomination  was  beset.  Yet 
sentiment  was  not  sufficiently  ripe  for  decisive  action  on  this 
all-important  matter.  To  have  forced  action  on  that  ques- 
tion at  this  time  would  have  invited  disruption,  and  that 
which  the  denomination  mostly  needed  and  desired  were 
unity  and  peace.  At  such  a  time  it  was  fortunate  that  the 
denominational  organ  was  conducted  by  one  so  cool  and 
conservative  as  was  J.  B.  Link.  He  rendered  a  supreme 
service  at  this  juncture,  and  was  gradually  paving  the  way 
toward  a  consummation  yet  not  in  sight,  but  none  the  less 
inevitable.  Then  fortunately,  too,  subsidiary  questions  were 
diverting  sentiment  to  themselves,  which  questions  were 
being  providentially  woven  into  the  methods  which  were 
gradually  but  slowly  leading  to  a  solution.  Among  these 
was  the  work  which  was  being  done  by  the  Sunday-school 
convention  and  by  the  colporteurs.  On  these  the  denomina- 
tion was  a  unit,  and  they  were  therefore  cemental  in  their 
influence.  In  1868  the  Sunday-school  and  Colportage  con- 
vention met  in  Waco,  and  while  there  was  a  timely  and  help- 
ful discussion  of  topics  relative  to  the  work,  some  disappoint- 
ment was  experienced,  as  the  results  of  the  year's  labors  did 
not  equal  the  general  expectation.  The  matter  of  entrust- 
ing this  work  to  the  care  of  the  two  boards  to  be  appointed 
respectively  by  the  State  Convention  and  the  General  Asso- 
ciation was  one  of  discussion  at  this  session,  but  the  proposal 
failed  to  materialize.  Stimulus  was  given  to  the  work,  espe- 
cially of  Sunday-schools,  by  a  healthful  vying  among  the 
churches  as  to  which  could  report  the  largest  attendance  at 
the  annual  meetings  of  the  body.  At  the  convention  of 
1868  the  First  church  of  Waco  led  with  an  enrollment  of 
nineteen  teachers  and  one  hundred  and  ninety  pupils.  Bren- 
ham  First  church  came  next  with  an  enrollment  of  fifteen 
teachers  and  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  pupils.  The  State 
Convention  held  its  annual  session  in  1868  at  Independence. 
H.  L.  Graves  was  elected  president ;  J.  H.  Stribling,  W.  C. 
Crane  and  H.  F.  Buckner,  vice  presidents ;  H.  Clarke,  re- 
cording secretary,  and  O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  corresponding  sec- 
retary. The  interest  of  the  session  was  grouped  about  the 
two  questions  of  missionary  endeavor  and  the  schools.     J. 


REV.  GEO.  B.  BUTI.EII.  PASTOR,  RRYAX,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Miss.  ;  converted  in  old  Bethany  Church  under  ministry  Rev. 
Norvell  Robertson ;  educated  public  schools,  Miss.  Col.,  S.  B.  T.  Sem. : 
pastor  Lexington  and  Natchez,  Miss. :  baptized  his  uncle,  Ex-Gov.  A.  II. 
Longino,  Miss.,  founder  and  Pres.  Texas  Woman's  College,  1905-1907 : 
has  built  |30,000  church,  Bryan.) 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  197 

W.  D.  Creath,  the  general  agent  of  the  convention,  rendered 
an  inspiring  report  and  he,  together  with  the  other  mis- 
sionaries, had  raised  $1,150  during  the  past  year. 

But  the  question  which  assumed  dominance  during 
the  session  was  that  of  education.  The  situation  was  becom- 
ing serious  at  Baylor  University.  The  attendance  had 
dwindled  to  seventy-two  students,  and  the  gravity  of  the 
question  was  such  that  a  committee  was  appointed  to  con- 
sider the  propriety  of  creating  a  state  education  convention, 
and  the  general  agent  of  the  convention  was  charged  with 
the  work  of  giving  special  interest  and  attention  to  educa- 
tion in  his  tours  over  the  state.  The  pressure  of  the  neces- 
sity of  combining  all  educational  interests  was  felt,  but  just 
how  to  effect  it  with  so  many  odds  in  the  way  was  not  clear. 

The  General  Association  met  at  Chatfield  on  July  17, 
1868.  This  was  the  first  session  held  after  the  change  of 
the  name  of  the  body.  It  was  saddened  from  the  beginning 
by  the  absence  of  D.  B.  Morrill,  who  had  died  during  the 
year.  His  presence  had  always  been  a  benediction,  and  his 
death  was  a  subject  of  universal  comment.  Under  changed 
conditions  the  work  was  that  of  another  stage  of  prepara- 
tion for  doing  things,  consequently  most  of  the  time  was 
taken  up  in  reports  and  discussions.  Three  boards  were 
appointed  as  the  channels  through  which  the  newly-named 
body  was  to  conduct  its  operations.  A  Sunday-school  Board 
at  Marshall,  a  Missionary  Board  at  Ladonia,  and  a  Bible, 
Colportage  and  Education  Board  at  Waco,  constituted  the 
machinery  of  the  body  in  its  new  start.  Rivalry  in  educa- 
tional matters  was  indicated  by  the  recommendation  of  the 
Waco  University,  the  High  School  at  Ladonia,  the  Charn- 
wood  Institute  at  Tyler  and  the  school  for  girls  and  young 
women  at  Paris. 

There  was  just  that  in  the  atmosphere  of  this  meeting 
in  the  utterances  and  reports  to  show  that  the  issue  was 
squarely  joined  between  the  General  Association  and  the 
State  Convention.  On  one  interest  alone  were  the  Baptists 
of  the  state  at  this  time  united,  and  that  was  the  Texas  Bap- 
fist  Herald.  This  much  at  least  was  fortunate.  No  respon- 
sibility could  have  been  greater  than  that  imposed  on  the 
editor  just  at  this  time.    A  single  spark  would  have  caused 


198  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

an  explosion,  while  the  conciliation  of  the  paper,  and  its  pol- 
icy of  adhering:  to  a  high  tone  of  journalism  and  to  infuse 
love  rather  than  debate  and  hate,  made  it  a  popular  medium 
in  both  bodies.  In  a  firm,  dignified  way  the  paper  prose- 
cuted its  course  and  toned  a  healthful  sentiment  as  became 
Christianity  throughout.  Verily,  Link  had  come  to  the 
kingdom  for  such  a  time  as  this.  The  year  1869  came  with 
its  changes.  Activity  prevailed  along  all  lines  and  as  a 
consequence  sentiment  concerning  matters  of  difference  be- 
tween the  two  general  bodies  was  becoming  more  taut.  The 
question  of  the  removal  of  Baylor  University  was  becoming 
more  urgent,  even  in  southern  Texas,  and  in  the  region  or 
territory  of  Waco  University  there  was  a  deeply  interested 
silence  on  the  subject.  The  question  had  reduced  itself  to 
one  of  intense  practicalness  and  the  denomination  was  com- 
ing to  see  that  it  could  not  be  swayed  by  the  natural  and 
logical  opposition  to  removal,  which  existed  in  the  locality 
of  Independence. 

For  the  space  of  more  than  a  year  the  Texas  Baptist 
Herald,  located  at  Houston,  had  been  forced  first  to  suspend 
and  then  to  be  issued  bi-weekly,  but  it  was  once  more  fairly 
afoot,  freshened  and  enlarged.  This  gave  new  elasticity  to 
the  cause  in  all  quarters.  An  attempt  had  been  made  to 
publish  a  little  paper  at  Jefferson,  called  the  Christian  Com- 
panion, but  the  enterprise  was  given  up  after  the  trial  of 
somewhat  more  than  a  year.  This  occurring  just  at  the 
time  that  the  Texas  Baptist  Herald  took  on  a  new  lease  of 
vitality  gave  to  this  latter  journal  a  fresh  propulsion.  Edi- 
tor Link  appreciated  the  opportunity,  and  did  some  of  the 
best  work  of  his  life  at  this  time.  The  cautious,  conciliatory 
tone  of  the  paper  was  now  bringing  things  to  pass.  This 
was  the  year  1869  that  witnessed  the  advent  of  B.  H.  Car- 
roll at  Waco.  He  was  then  a  young  man  of  twenty-six 
and,  while  practically  unknown  to  the  denomination,  was 
ripened  by  a  varied  experience  of  spiritual  struggle,  and 
of  broad  and  varied  observation,  and  of  considerable  read- 
ing and  research.  He  had  taken  a  course  at  Baylor  Uni- 
versity at  Independence,  and  in  the  prime  of  young  man- 
hood had  served  for  four  years  in  the  Confederate  army. 
Unostentatious  as  his  conduct  was,  there  were  marked  indi- 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  lyg 

cations  of  his  gigantic  gifts,  even  during  his  career  as  a 
soldier,  still  his  power  was  unknown  save  to  a  few  of  his 
comrades.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  went  to  Burleson 
county,  where  he  divided  his  time  between  teaching  and 
preaching,  and  in  1869  was  invited  to  Waco  to  conduct  a 
meeting.  In  this  great  revival  his  power  came  first  to  be 
recognized,  which  resulted  in  his  being  chosen  assistant 
pastor  of  the  First  church  of  Waco.  During  his  long  con- 
nection with  that  church  as  its  pastor,  his  fame  spread  over 
the  whole  continent.  The  conspicuous  part  borne  by  him 
during  the  stirring  times  which  followed  his  advent  at 
Waco  will  appear  throughout  the  remainder  of  this  record. 
For  four  years,  or  since  the  close  of  the  war,  the  State 
Board  had  been  operating  without  a  distinct  policy.  The  way 
had  not  been  clear  up  to  this  time  for  the  formation  of  a 
pronounced  policy,  and  the  work  had  been  fragmentary  and 
by  piecemeal.  What  missionary  work  was  done  was  largely 
under  the  separate  district  associations.  The  board  was 
divided  in  sentiment  as  to  the  policy  which  should  be 
adopted,  some  preferring  to  work  through  the  associations 
by  inviting  them  to  name  certain  men  for  positions  as  mis- 
sionaries, while  others  favored  the  more  general  plan  of 
the  supervision  of  the  work  from  the  headquarters  of  the 
board.  The  condition  of  the  country  was  such  as  to  prevent 
any  aggressive  course  on  the  field  at  large,  and  thus  things 
were  merely  drifting,  awaiting  the  return  of  such  times 
when  a  different  policy  might  be  adopted.  The  denomina- 
tional organ  was  the  only  agency  that  was  creative  of  senti- 
ment on  any  subject,  and  it  was  hedged  about  by  such 
restrictions  and  conditions  that  it  had  to  be  cautious  and 
conservative  in  tone.  To  keep  itself  free  of  partisanship 
and  serve  all  with  equal  fidelity  within  a  prescribed  com- 
pass, was  the  evident  policy  of  the  paper.  But  a  change 
was  necessary,  and  the  convention  proceeded  to  make  such 
a  change  when  it  next  met. 

That  body  met  in  1869  at  Galveston.  The  meeting 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  distinct  epochs  in  the  history  of  the 
denomination.  The  action  of  the  convention  was  far-reach- 
ing, and  within  were  elements  which  extended  far  into  the 
years,   and  which   found   culmination  nearly  twenty  years 


200  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

later  in  the  period  of  unification.  Struggles  were  inevitable, 
as  advocates  of  different  plans  and  policies  would  anon 
assert  themselves,  but  in  the  end  it  were  better  that  these 
struggles  had  been,  as  they  solidified  the  denomination 
after  all  theories  had  been  tested,  and  when  once 
the  denomination  turned  into  the  same  direction.  The  con- 
vention at  Galveston  chose  H.  L.  Graves  president ;  W.  C. 
Crane,  P.  B.  Chandler  and  J.  Beall,  vice  presidents;  O. 
H.  P.  Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  H.  Clarke,  corre- 
sponding secretary.  The  question  uppermost  in  the  minds 
of  the  messengers  was  that  of  what  course  should  be  adopted 
in  the  direction  of  educational  affairs.  Stronger  than  ever 
had  the  sentiment  of  removal  of  the  schools  from  Inde- 
I)endence  become.  The  life  which  now  began  to  animate  the 
Baptists  of  the  state  was  shaping  itself  into  practical  the- 
ories at  least,  and  it  was  evident  that  institutions,  both  stable 
and  accessible,  were  needed.  This  slowly  rising  sentiment 
rendered  the  retention  of  the  schools  at  Independence  less 
sure.  Yet  it  was  clear  that  the  agitation  of  this  matter  was 
sure  to  result  in  a  struggle.  Meanwhile  the  General  Asso- 
ciation was  watching  with  keen  interest  the  drift  of  senti- 
ment respecting  educational  matters  in  the  State  Conven- 
tion. That  the  sentiment  which  obtained  at  the  Galveston 
convention  would  have  been  more  pronounced  for  the  early 
removal  of  the  schools  from  Independence  seems  inevitable, 
but  for  the  increased  attendance  on  the  schools  during  the 
preceding  year.  Still  this  was  attributed  by  some,  more  to 
the  return  of  improved  conditions  throughout  the  country 
than  to  the  growth  of  popularity  of  the  schools.  There 
was  much  significance  attaching  to  the  creation  of  an  educa- 
tion convention  by  the  body  when  it  met  the  year  before, 
and  greater  significance  lay  in  the  fact  that  this  met  with 
such  popular  approbation.  The  determination  having  been 
reached  to  organize  such  a  body,  arrangements  were  made 
at  Galveston  during  the  session  to  appoint  a  place  of  meet- 
ing for  it. 

When  the  subject  at  last  came  before  the  body  for  dis- 
cussion, it  was  the  occasion  of  a  great  struggle,  and  of  much 
acrimonious  debate.  Positive  as  the  advocates  of  removal 
were,  their  insistence  was  moderate  as  compared  with  the 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  201 

temper  of  those  who  resisted  the  proposed  measure  of 
removal.  The  latter  class  was  vehement,  and  the  speeches 
were  not  exempt  from  expressions  bordering  on  bitterness. 
These  opponents  were  most  insistent,  and  occupied  much  of 
the  time  of  the  convention  in  their  speeches  of  opposition. 
The  battle  raged  through  hours  with  great  w-armth  of  pas- 
sion. It  was  seen  that  the  time  was  not  propitious  for  final 
action  and  the  convention  wisely  cut  short  the  discussion 
by  the  adoption  of  conciliatory  resolutions,  one  of  which 
was: 

"Resolved,  That  we  are  satisfied  that  it  is  impracticable 
now,  or  at  any  future  time,  to  remove  Baylor  University  or 
Baylor  Female  College."  Another  and  evidently  a  more 
sincere  resolution  was  also  adopted :  "That  it  is  the  sense 
of  this  convention  that  it  is  inexpedient  to  consider  the 
question  of  the  removal  of  Baylor  University  from  its  pres- 
ent location."  Both  parties  found  equal  satisfaction  in  these 
resolutions,  the  opponents  considering  them  as  final,  while 
the  others  regarded  them  as  merely  tentative.  What  the 
result  was  the  history  of  subsequent  years  will  disclose.  As 
might  naturally  be  expected,  the  results  of  the  labors  of  the 
few  missionaries  during  the  past  year  were  meager.  De- 
tached work  was  done  here  and  there  over  the  field,  and 
much  voluntary  service  had  been  rendered  by  pastors,  who, 
leaving  their  own  fields,  went  into  the  neighboring  regions 
and  preached  as  they  had  opportunity.  The  meajis  gathered 
from  the  churches  amounted  for  the  year  to  $1,143.25. 

But  the  convention  was  to  have  its  missionary  work  done 
no  longer  at  haphazard.  The  convention  at  Galveston  was 
the  turning  point  in  the  history  of  missionary  work  in  the 
state.  Here  the  convention  resolved  to  reinstate  the  original 
policy  of  general  and  aggressive  work  in  every  part  of  the 
country,  or  to  the  extent  of  the  resources  which  it  might  be 
able  to  command.  The  time  for  such  a  movement  was 
propitious.  Railway  travel  had  immensely  improved,  new 
towns  and  settlements  had  grown  up,  there  were  signs  of 
religious  activity  in  all  directions,  and  there  had  come  again 
comparative  prosperity.  During  the  year  the  Sunday-school 
and  Colportage  Convention  had  been  exceedingly  active,  and 
many  books  had  been  sold  throughout  the  country,  while 


203 


HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


many  Sunday-schools  had  Ijccn  brought  into  being.  A 
large  assortment  of  books  had  been  procured  from  Smith 
Sheldon, as  a  gift, through  the  kind  offices  of  Colonel  Morgan 
L.  Smith,  a  prominent  sugar  planter  and  a  I'aptist  who  spent 
much  of  his  time  in  New  York,  learning  the  process  of  mak- 
ing refined  sugar.    He  was  the  pioneer  of  this  enterprise  in 


UEV.  EliNEST  GALE  TOWNSEND,  BELTON,  TEXAS. 

(Boru  in  Missouri:  at  the  ajro  of  seven,  he  removetl  with  his  parents 
1o  Texas;  his  childhood  was  spent  on  a  ranch  in  Southwest  Texas  and 
liis  earlv  school  daj-s  in  San  Antonio.  He  took  a  full  course  at  Baylor 
University  and  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Louisville;  he  held  for  a 
short  while  the  pastorate  of  the  Central  Baptist  Church  of  Dallas ;  in 
1897  he  was  married  to  Miss  Hollie  Harper,  of  Dallas  ;  18  months  after 
her  marriage,  she  died,  leaving,  a  little  son.  Gale  Harper  Townsend ;  for 
three  years  Mr.  Townsend  had  charge  of  the  Chapel  Car  work  in  Texas ; 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Elli  Moore  in  the  fall  of  1899 ;  he  had  for  a 
few  months  the  pastorate  of  East  Waco  Church  ;  since  1901  he  has  lived 
in  Belton  ;  for  the  first  year  he  was  engaged  as  teacher  in  Baylor  College, 
and  in  1902  became  pastor  of  the  Belton  Baptist  Church.) 


Texas,  was  liberal,  and  greatly  interested  in  the  moral  and 
spiritual  development  of  the  state.  Contributions  of  books 
had  also  been  made  by  the  American  Baptist  Publication 
Society  and  the  National  Sunday-school  Convention.  For 
all  these  timely  donations  the  Sunday-school  and  Colportage 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  203 

Convention  was  indebted  to  the  influence  of  Colonel  Mor- 
gan L.  Smith. 

With  the  close  of  the  convention  held  at  Galveston  came 
a  renewal  of  the  discussion  of  the  removal  of  the  schools 
from  Independence.  The  rivalry  between  the  schools  located 
respectively  at  Independence  and  at  Waco  had  become 
sharp,  and  was  productive  of  some  friction.  Both  schools  had 
encountered  certain  difficulties  in  making  their  way  through 
the  years  of  the  immediate  past,  but  Waco  had  evidenl 
advantages,  while  Independence  had  none.  With  the  ebb 
and  flow  of  events,  each  would  take  fresh  courage  or  expe- 
rience depression.  Independence  was  destined  to  succumb 
by  reason  of  inaccessibility  and  isolation,  while,  about  this 
time,  Waco  suffered  from  a  scourge  of  typhoid  fever,  which 
led  Doctor  Burleson  to  express  the  doubt  of  seeking  to 
make  it  a  great  educational  center.  When,  however,  the 
fever  had  spent  its  force  and  the  sanitary  conditions  had 
been  improved,  his  buoyancy  returned  and  his  doubts  were 
dispelled.  The  agitation  of  educational  matters  begun  at 
Galveston  continued  through  fifteen  years  before  they  were 
settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  denomination. 

About  this  time  a  step  was  taken  by  the  faculty  and 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Waco  University,  which  seemed  to 
give  promise  of  easy  and  prompt  solution  of  the  agitation 
which  was  now  usurping  the  thought  of  the  denomination. 
That  action  at  Waco  was  so  magnanimous  in  its  tone  that 
it  seemed  no  further  trouble  could  come  of  the  much  agi- 
tated matter.  Below  are  given  such  extracts  from  the  com- 
bined resolution  of  the  faculty  and  board  as  bear  directly  on 
the  situation.  Omitting  certain  parts  of  the  resolution,  its 
substance  was  expressed  in  the  following : 

"Whereas,  The  general  progress  of  our  age  and  country, 
of  which  the  grand,  munificent  foundations  springing  up  on 
all  sides  are  but  the  indices  and  promoters,  not  only  suggest 
but  demand  corresponding  facilities  on  the  part  of  the  Bap- 
tist denomination.  *  *  *  Unless  we  provide  facilities 
up  to  the  times  instead  of  assisting  in  educating  others,  as 
we  ought  to  do,  our  own  sons  and  daughters,  the  more 
ambitious  and  talented  of  them,  will  betake  themselves 
*     *     *     where  such  provisions  of  thorough  culture  can 


204  HISTOEY    or    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

be  found.  *  *  *  In  our  opinion  nothing  will  tend  to  so 
harmonize  and  engender  good  feeling  among  our  wide- 
spread brotherhood  and  make  them  resist  all  disintegrating 
tendencies,  whether  political  or  religious,  as  one  great  edu- 
cational center,  *  *  *  unifying  us  and  making  us  a 
brotherhood  indeed ;  now,  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  we,  the  trustees  and  faculty  of  Waco 
University,  do  hereby  publish  to  the  denomination  generally 
our  readiness  and  willingness  to  unite  with  them  in  build- 
ing up  such  an  educational  interest  for  our  denomination, 
without  reference  to  any  party,  men  or  place,  ignoring 
entirely  any  little  claims  we  might  feel  w^e  have  here  of  a 
local  character,  and  we  hereby  pledge  our  best  efforts  to 
the  building  up  of  a  great  intellectual  center,  let  it  be 
located  where  it  may." 

Of  this  movement  Doctor  Burleson  was  supposed  to 
have  been  the  originator,  and  it  awoke  fresh  concern  in 
the  circles  at  Independence.  There  was  no  mistaking  the 
language  of  this  action,  for  it  was  free  of  all  ambiguity.  It 
reallv  struck  the  chord  of  the  general  sentiment  of  the 
denomination  throughout  the  state,  excepting  at  Independ- 
ence, where  was  the  natural  disposition  to  hold  the  school 
where  it  was  originally  planted.  This  action  taken  at 
Waco,  as  expressed  in  this  preamble  and  resolutions,  seemed 
to  have  but  one  object,  and  that  was  that  all  claims  were 
to  be  subordinated  to  the  one  idea  of  founding  a  central 
institution  of  learning  which  would  command  denomina- 
tional influence  and  patronage,  and  at  such  place  as  would 
l)e  deemed  wisest  and  best  to  adopt.  President  Burleson 
had  previously  favored  such  a  movement,  and  now  the  same 
sentiment  was  adopted  and  embodied  in  the  preamble  and 
resolutions  published  to  the  world.  It  gave  heart  and  hope 
to  the  education  convention  which  was  in  contemplation. 
Prior  to  this,  similar  expression  had  appeared  in  a  report 
made  before  the  General  Association.  General  Speight, 
one  of  the  prime  movers  and  promoters  of  the  school  from 
which  had  sprung  Waco  University,  and  one  of  the  leading 
members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  school,  and  a 
deacon  in  the  First  church  of  Waco,  favored  the  movement, 
as  did  also  General  Harrison,  another  member  of  the  board. 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  205 

President  Burleson,  as  we  have  seen,  gave  it  his  fullest 
endorsement,  and  President  Crane  was  quoted  as  having 
been  induced  to  give  it  his  sanction. 

The  way  now  seemed  clear  to  an  easy  solution  of  a  prob- 
lem which  threatened  the  denomination  with  an  agitation 
that  might  lead  to  serious  and  permanent  division.  Noth- 
ing was  now  thought  of  or  talked  about  but  a  great  uni- 
versity which  would  be  an  honor  to  the  Baptists  of  the 
entire  Southwest.  Great  enthusiasm  was  the  result  of  a 
prospect  so  cheering  and  inspiring.  The  temporary  storm 
raised  at  Galveston  w-as  forgotten,  in  the  prospect  of  the 
general  harmony  and  prosperity  which  such  a  movement 
would  bring. 

When  the  General  Association  met,  just  subsequent  to 
the  action  taken  by  the  faculty  and  board  of  Waco  Uni- 
versity, there  was  a  total  omission  of  the  mention  of  Waco 
University.  This  fact  gave  increased  signiticance  and  con- 
fidence. The  result  was  a  general  elation  throughout  the 
denominational  circles  of  the  state.  By  a  sudden  turn  of 
the  wheel  sentiment  seemed  to  have  been  thrown  to  a  com- 
mon center.  In  the  report  on  education  before  the  General 
Association  it  abstained  froin  allusion  to  any  school,  but 
said :  "Schools  should  be  encouraged  in  every  community, 
and  especially  the  united  energies  of  the  entire  Baptist 
fraternity  of  this  association  should  be  directed  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  college  conmiensurate  with  the  wants  of  the 
people,  and  equaling  the  best  colleges  in  our  government 
in  intrinsic  merit.  Such  a  college  should  occupy  a  central 
position  geographically  in  the  state,  and  when  once  estab- 
lished, should  be  forced  to  stand  by  its  own  inherent 
strength.  It  is  not  intended  to  recommend  opposition  to 
any  one  of  the  schools  now  in  progress  in  the  state,  neither 
do  we  recommend  the  adoption  of  any  of  them  as  the  school 
of  the  General  Association."  All  this  was  follow^ed  by  a 
special  hour  for  the  discussion  of  the  subject  of  education 
by  the  members  of  the  General  Association. 

The  work  of  the  General  Association,  which  was  held  in 
1869  at  Tyler,  had  been  prosecuted  with  some  degree  of 
success  during  the  preceding  year.    The  several  boards,  the 


20G  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Bible,  Missionary  and  Sunday-school,  reported  the  collection 
of  $465.10  on  the  field  during  the  year. 

The  encouraging  hope  awakened  at  Tyler  gave  a  fore- 
taste to  the  coming  State  Convention,  which  was  to  be  held 
in  the  fall  at  Brenham.  Nothing  now  stood  in  the  way  of 
a  mighty  spring  forward.  The  presidents  of  the  two  chief 
institutions  had  now  struck  hands  in  harmony  on  the  pro- 
posal to  build  a  great  school,  in  the  way  of  which  the 
schools  of  which  they  were  the  respective  heads,  should  not 
stand.  Rivals  for  patronage  became  friends,  and  every- 
thing was  to  be  sunk  out  of  sight  for  the  general  good. 
However,  while  Doctor  Crane  acquiesced  in  the  sen- 
timent which  had  come  to  possess  the  people  generally,  there 
was  not  wanting  some  distrustfulness  at  Independence  of 
the  sincerity  of  the  action  at  Waco.  It  was  regarded  as 
a  maneuver  to  produce  such  a  condition  as  would  eventuate 
in  the  selection  of  Waco  University  as  the  point  so  much 
desired  as  the  place  for  the  central  location  of  the  proposed 
school.  Some  insisted  that  subsequent  events  would  prove 
the  suspicion  to  be  a  correct  one.  Nowhere  else,  however, 
was  such  suspicion  entertained,  and  when  it  was  known  that 
it  was  feared  at  Independence  that  there  was  insincerity 
beneath  it  all,  this  was  attributed  to  the  sensitiveness  of  the 
community  relative  to  the  proposed  removal  of  the  schools 
from  that  place.  To  such  a  pitch  had  the  educational  excite- 
ment grown  that  when  the  convention  met  at  Brenham,  it 
was  agreed  to  name  a  time  and  place  to  begin  steps  toward 
the  founding  of  the  proposed  great  school. 

In  due  time,  the  State  Convention  was  held  at  Brenham. 
Never  were  men  more  buoyed  by  hope.  Officers  were 
chosen  by  making  H.  L.  Graves  president ;  W.  C.  Crane, 
J.  H.  Stribling  and  F.  M.  Law,  vice  presidents ;  O.  H.  P. 
Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  H.  Clarke,  corresponding 
secretary.  Tw^o  general  missionaries  or  agents  had  been 
active  during  the  year — Revs.  J.  W.  D.  Creath  and  W.  A. 
Mason.  Mr.  Creath  had  given  most  of  his  time  to  the  col- 
lection of  funds,  and  Mr.  Mason  had  been  devoted  to  mis- 
sionary effort  for  the  most  part,  though  both  had  combined 
the  work  in  a  general  way  during  the  year.  For  the  state 
work  Creath  had  collected  $1,195.45,  and  for  the  proposed 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  207 

church  at  San  Antonio,  $1,020.  Mason  had  collected  $628.60 
and  had  baptized  sixty  persons.  Rev.  W.  A.  Mason  had 
been  for  years  at  work  and  had  been  instrumental  in  the  bap- 
tism of  many  hundreds,  and  assisted  in  the  organization  of 
several  associations,  and  done  much  other  denominational 
work.  A  cloud  had  suddenly  come  over  the  convention  as  the 
result  of  a  called  meeting  of  those  interested  in  denomina- 
tional education.  There  were  conspicuously  present  at  this 
called  meeting-  the  prominent  correspondents  from  Waco, 
those  who  had  so  vigorously  urged  such  a  movement,  to- 
gether with  the  presidents  of  the  two  Baptist  colleges.  When 
the  general  question  embraced  in  the  preamble  and  resolu- 
tions from  the  Waco  University  was  presented,  there  was  no 
little  astonishment  to  learn  that  both  Presidents  Burleson 
and  Crane  were  opposed  to  it.  It  was  soon  ascertained  that 
nothing  could  be  accomplished  here,  and  on  motion  of 
Judge  C.  R.  Breedlove  a  meeting  was  appointed  to  be 
held  at  Bremond  two  months  later.  The  mysterious  change 
whereby  opposition  was  encountered  just  where  encourage- 
ment was  expected  shook  the  confidence  of  many,  but  did 
not  deprive  them  of  hope.  When,  during  the  session,  there 
was  a  call  for  a  readoption  of  the  resolutions  which  had 
been  previously  adopted,  disapproving  of  the  removal  of 
the  schools  from  Independence,  they  met  no  opposition,  as 
it  was  supposed  that  the  approaching  meeting  at  Bremond 
would  settle  all  questions  in  dispute. 

The  corresponding  secretary.  Rev.  Horace  Clarke,  in 
submitting  an  elaborate  report  to  the  body,  gave  a  brief 
summary  of  the  work  of  the  convention  from  its  inception. 
He  said :  "Seventy  missionaries  have  been  employed, 
ninety-five  churches  organized,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  feeble  churches  have  been  aided,  seven  associations 
organized,  secured  the  erection  of  fifty-five  meeting  houses, 
the  ordination  of  sixty-five  deacons  and  twenty  ministers, 
her  missionaries  have  baptized  about  4,000  persons — in  one 
year  six  hundred — and  have  organized  seventy-five  Sunday- 
schools.  A  total  has  been  collected  by  the  agents  of  the 
convention  of  about  $35,000  and  through  co-operating  asso- 
ciations about  $45,000 — total  about  $80,000." 

General  attention  was    now    directed    toward  the  ap- 


208  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

l)roaching  education  convention  at  Bremond.  What  the 
result  would  be  no  one  could  foretell.  Ardent  hope  had 
somewhat  cooled,  and  the  brightness  of  the  future  had  been 
dimmed  by  the  unexpected  turn  given  affairs  at  Brenham 
two  months  before.  However,  the  education  meeting  was 
held   in  December.   1870.     There  were  present  forty-seven 


MRS.    ELLI    MOORE    TOWNSEXD,    BELTON,    TEXAS. 

(After  graduating  at  Baylor  College  in  1S70,  studied  in  Philadelplii.i 
and  traveled  in  Europe  ;  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  her  ambi- 
tion has  been  that  the  daughters  of  Baylor  may  be  as  "corner-stones 
polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace."  Her  interest  in  her  Alma 
-Mater  is  shown  in  the  little  book,  "Our  Baylor"  ;  in  1893  she  inaugu- 
rated a  plan  by  which  ambitious  girls  without  means  for  paying  regular 
college  boarding  rates  might  live  in  a  home  and  do  their  own  housework 
and  at  the  same  time  pursue  their  college  course ;  she  began  with  twelve 
girls  and  in  a  few  years  the  number  under  her  care  reached  200  ;  this 
work  is  now  entering  upon  the  fifteenth  session  with  Mrs.  Townsend  as 
manager.     In  1899  she  was  married  to  Kev.  E.  G.  Townsend.) 

representatives  and  a  canvass  showed  that  fully  seven- 
eighths  of  them  were  favorable  to  the  much-talked-of  move- 
ment to  establish  a  new^  and  famous  school,  while  the  presi- 
dents of  the  two  schools,  at  Waco  and  Independence  re- 
spectively, made  common  cause  in  their  opposition.  Not- 
withstanding  past    deliverances.    President    Burleson    now 


•    ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  209 

opposed  the  concentration  of  the  educational  interests  of  the 
Baptists  of  the  state.  He  had  reached  the  conclusion  that 
a  state  so  large  as  Texas  demanded  more  than  one  institu- 
tion. President  Crane  was  just  as  pronounced,  and  felt  that 
the  creation  of  a  great  school  meant  the  total  absorption  of 
all  others.  He  feared  that  the  founding  of  a  school  such  as 
was  contemplated  meant  to  say  to  President  Burleson  and 
himself:  "Take  charge  of  an  academy  after  all  your  years 
of  toil."  Among  the  many  who  favored  the  movement  were 
Doctors  Link  and  Law,  General  Harrison  and  others.  All 
these  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  was  the  only  solution  of 
the  question  which  was  burning  in  the  hearts  of  the  people. 
President  Burleson  felt  that  the  matter  could  not  be  fairly 
settled  at  that  time,  and  advised  delay.  He  wanted  the 
question  to  come  up  upon  its  merits  before  the  General 
Association  when  it  should  meet  next  year  at  Fairfield. 
Editor  Link  insisted  that  the  creation  of  a  school  of  great 
merit  at  some  central  point  would  impart  fresh  life  to  the 
schools  already  existing,  and  showed  that  the  attempt  to 
remove  Madison  University  to  Rochester  and  the  subse- 
quent establishment  of  a  school  at  the  latter  place  had  really 
infused  new  life  into  Madison,  without  which  it  would  have 
perished. 

The  result  of  the  meeting  was — nothing.  The  question 
was  postponed  for  future  consideration  at  Fairfield,  but  the 
agitation  was  kept  up  in  the  columns  of  the  Texas  Baptist 
Herald.  The  hope  of  a  speedy  solution  of  the  educational 
question  was  thus  dashed.  The  occasion  afforded  new 
opportunity  for  fresh  division  and  new  dissension.  Divers 
efforts  were  made  to  quiet  the  discussion  of  the  question  in 
the  columns  of  the  Texas  Baptist  Herald,  among  which 
was  that  of  a  new  paper,  the  Missionary  Baptist  at  Corsi- 
cana  by  Rev.  Thomas  H.  Compere,  but  before  living  through 
a  year,  it  died. 

The  summer  of  1871  witnessed  the  gathering  of  the  Bap- 
tist hosts  at  Fairfield,  where  the  General  Association  was 
held  and  where  it  was  hoped  that  the  question  might  be 
brought  to  some  practical  termination.  Yet  this  hope  was 
dimmed  when  it  was  learned  that  President  Burleson  had 
been  exceedingly  active  in  the  cultivation  of  opposition  to 


210  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

the  iiKiNcmont,  and  had  created  a  scntiinent  against  it.  The 
gathering-  at  Fairfield  was  a  large  one.  Fresh  occasion  for 
friction  arose  from  the  fact  that  the  meeting  of  the  asso- 
ciation was  held  within  the  territory  of  the  Ba]itist  State 
Convention.  This  was  representative  of  the  sensitiveness 
of  the  times,  as  well  as  a  sad  lack  of  the  unity  in  the  ranks 
of  the  denomination.  Among  the  visitors  present  were 
Revs.  T.  C.  Tcasdale,  representing  the  Sunday-school  Board 
of  the  South ;  E.  C.  Eager,  of  the  Domestic  Mission  Board, 
and  Dr.  J.  R.  Graves,  editor  of  the  Tennessee  Baptist  and 
representative  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Publication  Society. 

New  life  seems  to  have  come  to  the  General  Association, 
and  its  activity  during  the  preceding  year  had  been  pro- 
nounced. The  work  done  had  been  more  comprehensive 
than  ever  before,  and  the  life  and  snap  of  the  body  were 
most  inspiring.  Bible  colportage,  missionary  activity,  Sun- 
day-school work,  and  aid  to  ministerial  students,  entered 
into  the  work  of  the  year.  The  corresponding  secretary, 
Rev.  R.  C.  Buckner,  recommended  large  sums  of  money  to. 
be  raised  and  expended  during  the  succeeding  year  in  the 
promotion  of  denominational  interests.  The  report  on  edu- 
cation was  quite  different  in  its  tone  from  the  one  of  the 
preceding  year,  as  it  suggested  the  founding  of  chartered 
schools,  the  endowment  by  the  alumni  of  the  president's 
chair  of  Waco  University  of  not  less  than  $10,000,  and, 
if  possible,  of  $30,000,  with  the  privilege  left  the  donor  of 
changing  the  endowment  at  will  to  another  institution,  or 
another  president.  Endorsement  of  the  schools  at  Tyler, 
Ladonia.  Paris,  Cleburne  and  Pennington  was  given,  while 
fraternal  regard  was  expressed  for  Baylor  Utiiversity. 
Favorable  consideration  was  asked  for  the  Education  Union, 
the  plans  of  which  were  mentioned  as  maturing. 

When  those  interested  in  the  movement  for  education 
came  together,  it  was  found  that  the  sentiment  had  not 
changed  from  that  which  prevailed  during  the  preceding 
December,  when  the  meeting  was  held  at  Bremond.  Here, 
as  at  Bremond,  Presidents  Burleson  and  Crane  stoutly  op- 
posed the  movement,  taking  positions  similar  to  those  taken 
on  the  previous  occasion,  and  they  only  looked  with  disfavor 
on  the  contemplated  college.    Doctor  Wallace,  who  had  pre- 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  211 

viously  opposed  the  scheme,  now  favored  it,  and  coming  as 
he  did  from  Waco,  this  was  regarded  as  favorable  to  the 
undertaking.  The  opponents  of  the  proposed  undertaking 
asked  that  the  matter  He  over  for  a  period  of  five  years, 
before  it  should  be  renewed,  but  in  this  they  failed.  It  was 
agreed  that  so  soon  as  $10,000  could  be  procured  active  work 
would  begin  to  found  the  proposed  institution.  This  amount 
was  immediately  raised  and  the  committee  called  a  meeting 
for  August,  7,  1872,  when  it  was  proposed  to  organize  the 
Education  Union. 

The  once  promised  era  of  good  feeling  was  gone.  That 
which  gave  assurance  of  so  much  good  had  vanished  like 
the  mist  of  the  morning.  So  far  from  an  extrication  from 
the  toils  of  difficulty,  they  were  just  begun.  The  brightness 
of  a  year  ago  had  given  place  to  a  coming  tempest,  the  mut- 
terings  of  which  were  already  audible.  The  Texas  Baptist 
Herald  continued  its  advocacy  of  the  proposed  new 
school  and  its  columns  were  laden  with  articles  for  and 
against  the  enterprise.  There  was  no  possibility  of  settle- 
ment of  the  question  at  this  stage,  and  the  conflict  was 
necessary  before  the  desired  end  could  be  reached. 

The  fall  of  1871  found  the  State  Convention  in  session 
at  Bryan.  W.  C.  Crane  was  chosen  president;  J.  H.  Strib- 
ling,  William  Howard  and  F.  M.  Law,  vice-presidents; 
O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  G.  W.  Graves, 
corresponding  secretary.  The  session  was  devoid  of  special 
interest.  The  only  topic  of  interest  was  that  of  the  new 
university.  Rev.  Horace  Clarke  having  resigned  from  the 
presidency  of  the  Baylor  College  for  Girls,  Dr.  H.  L.  Graves 
had  been  chosen  to  succeed  him.  Thus  passed  the  year  187 1 
with  no  material  change  in  the  Baptist  situation.  It  was, 
however,  a  year  of  great  spiritual  ingathering  to  the 
churches.  News  of  meetings  of  power  came  from  every 
source,  and  during  the  year  churches  were  immensely 
blessed.  From  a  mere  handful  the  Baptists  had  now  come 
to  number  50,000  in  Texas  and  their  number  was  steadily 
growing  with  the  weeks.  Again  were  all  eyes  turned  to  the 
education  meeting  which  was  to  be  held  at  Bryan,  in  August. 
The  result  was  the  organization  of  the  Education  Union, 
which  was  afterwards  chartered.     There  was  no  limit  to 


212  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

the  plans  of  an  immense  institution  of  learning,  at  some 
central  point,  which  was  destined  never  to  be.  Agents  were 
appointed  and  placed  in  the  field  to  raise  $200,000,  which 
was  regarded  as  sufficient  to  make  a  fair  beginning.  It  was 
agreed  that  the  donors  were  to  name  the  place  of  the  loca- 
tion of  the  school,  which  location  was  to  be  determined  by 
the  bonus  offered,  together  with  the  eligibility  of  the  point 
thus  indicated.  Without  delay  notes  were  given  and  lands 
donated  to  the  enterprise,  all  of  which  was  estimated  at 
$30,000.  It  was  about  this  time  that  Dr.  Samuel  Freeman, 
ex-president  of  Howard  College,  Alabama,  settled  at  Jeffer- 
son, Texas,  as  pastor  of  the  First  Church.  He  lived  but  a 
short  time  after  reaching  the  state.  He  had  begun  well, 
had  made  a  most  favorable  impression  on  the  district  asso- 
ciation which  he  had  the  opportunity  to  attend,  but  had 
scarcely  begun  his  work  when  he  was  called  to  his  reward. 
While  reference  has  been  made  several  times  to  Dr. 
R.  C.  Buckner,  the  philanthropist-preacher  of  Texas  Bap- 
tists, no  extended  notice  has  as  yet  been  given  him  in  these 
pages.  He  came  from  his  native  state,  Kentucky,  to  Texas, 
in  the  fall  of  1859.  I"  ^'^'^^  twelfth  year  he  was  baptized  by 
his  father,  Daniel  Buckner,  at  Somerset,  Kentucky,  and  was 
a  preacher  at  seventeen.  He  was  converted,  baptized, 
licensed  and  ordained  in  the  same  church,  and  also  adminis- 
tered the  ordinance  of  baptism  first  in  the  church  in  which 
he  was  reared.  Educated  at  Georgetown,  Kentucky,  he  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church  at  Albany,  Kentucky,  when  only 
twenty  years  old.  His  first  important  pastorate  was  at 
Owensboro,  Kentucky,  where  he  succeeded  Dr.  S.  L.  Helm. 
Later  he  was  the  general  agent  of  the  Domestic  Mission 
Board  for  Kentucky  for  a  while  before  his  removal  to  Texas. 
He  became  pastor  of  a  little  struggling  church  at  Paris. 
Texas,  which  was  called  by  derision  "the  calico  bonnet 
church."  For  fourteen  years,  with  the  intermission  of  about 
a  year,  when  he  was  released  by  the  church  to  serve  the 
General  Association  as  its  financial  secretary.  Doctor  Buck- 
ner was  pastor  at  Paris,  where  he  was  greatly  beloved  by 
the  people  generally.  At  the  time  of  his  resignation  he  left 
the  church  at  Paris  in  excellent  condition,  with  a  commo- 
dious and  well-built  house,  which  was  without  a  cent  of 


ACTIVITY    AND     AGITATION  213 

debt.  He  was  the  pioneer  of  woman's  work  in  the  state, 
being  the  first,  certainly  in  north  Texas,  to  organize  a 
ladies'  aid  society,  if  it  was  not  the  first  in  the  state.  During 
his  pastorate  at  Paris  he  conducted,  with  great  success,  many 
revivals,  the  most  notable  among  which  were  at  Clarksville, 
Bonham,  Jefferson  and  Sherman.  He  it  was  who  awoke 
from  indifference  Major  Penn,  at  Jefferson,  who,  though  a 
professed  Christian,  had  lapsed  into  apathy.  After  Doctor 
Buckner's  meeting  at  Jefferson,  Major  Penn  became  an 
active  worker,  which  resulted  finally  in  his  beginning  to 
preach,  when  he  became  one  of  the  first  revivalists  of  the 
South.  When  Doctor  Buckner  began  his  meeting  at  Sher- 
man it  was  held  in  an  old  school  house ;  when  the  meeting 
closed,  it  was  a  strong  church,  which  was  immediately  or- 
ganized. The  rest  of  his  career  is  so  intimately  woven  into 
Baptist  affairs  in  Texas  from  this  period  forth,  that  it  is  not 
necessary  to  anticipate  that  which  will  appear  in  these  pages. 
Gentle,  suave  in  disposition,  generous  to  a  fault,  with  a 
warm,  affectionate  heart,  he  is  a  universal  favorite  among 
his  brethren. 

In  1872  the  General  Association  held  its  fifth  annual 
session  with  the  Rowlett  Creek  Church,  in  Collin  county. 
The  meeting  was  lacking  in  the  animation  and  power 
which  attached  to  it  during  the  preceding  session,  for 
despite  the  elaborate  plans  of  the  session  next  preceding, 
and  the  call  for  enlarged  means,  the  association  fell  im- 
mensely behind.  After  as  liberal  exhibit  as  the  facts  would 
justify,  the  corresponding  secretary  was  forced  to  express 
deep  regret  at  the  sparseness  of  the  results  of  the  work  of 
the  year.  But  when  the  State  Convention  met  in  the  autumn 
the  condition  was  practically  the  same.  It  was  a  period  of 
dearth  of  interest  in  Baptist  aff"airs.  The  State  Convention 
met  at  Independence.  W.  C.  Crane  was  elected  president; 
W.  H.  Dodge,  P.  B.  Chandler  and  J.  H.  Stribling,  vice-presi- 
dents ;  O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  W.  W. 
Fontaine,  corresponding  secretary.  The  contributions  of 
the  year  scarcely  exceeded  $1,200,  about  one-third  of  which 
was  given  for  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  at  San 
Antonio.    The  report  from  Baylor  University  was  somewhat 


Ki:V.    JAMES    A.    FRENCH.    TH.  M.,    D.  D..    PASTOR    FIRST    CHURCH, 
AUSTIN,  TEXAS. 

(Reared  in  Richmond,  Va.  ;  educated  at  Richmond  College,  Univ.  of 
Va..  and  S.  B.  T.  S. ;  pastor  at  Orange  and  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Paris  and 
Shelbyvllle,  Ky.,  and  Talladega,  Ala.  ;  became  pastor  of  First  Church, 
Austin,  Tex.,  July  1,  3S96;  is  in  close  touch  with  Univ.  life  and  depart- 
ments of  state  in  Capitol  city  :  was  for  several  years,  until  it  was  merged 
into  work  of  State  Mission  Board,  Pres.  of  State  S.  S.  and  C.  Con. :  is 
member  of  Education  Commission  :  is  a  careful  student,  good  sermonizer 
and  vigilant  pastor  ;  his  present  charge  has  greatly  increased  during  his 
pastorate  ;  two  churches  have  gone  out  from  the  membership,  and  another 
is  contemplated.) 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  215 

better,  as  the  number  of  students  in  attendance  was  slightly 
in  excess  of  that  of  the  previous  year.  H.  L.  Graves  had 
retired  from  the  head  of  the  college  for  girls,  and  Colonel 
W.  W.  Fontaine  had  succeeded  him. 

Early  in  1873  the  purpose  was  conceived  of  inviting  the 
meeting  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  for  1874,  to 
Texas.  That  great  body  had  never  held  but  one  session 
west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  then  at  St.  Louis,  and  the  Bap- 
tists of  Texas  were  anxious  to  have  it  meet  in  this  state. 
A  strong  delegation  from  Texas  attended  the  Southern 
Convention,  which  met  in  1873,  at  Mobile,  Alabama.  The 
Texans  became  conspicuous  on  the  floor  of  the  convention 
at  Mobile  by  their  liberal  contributions  to  the  Southern  Bap- 
tist Theological  Seminary.  It  was  a  matter  of  great  interest 
to  Doctor  Boyce,  the  president  alike  of  the  convention  and 
of  the  seminary,  that  so  many  Texans  were  ready  to  make 
donations  of  fertile  lands  to  the  seminary. 

When  the  questions  of  time  and  place  of  the  next  session 
of  the  body  were  to  be  determined,  Jefferson,  Texas,  was 
named,  and  Major  W.  E.  Penn,  who  was  at  that  time  a 
member  of  the  bar  of  Jefferson,  made  an  elaborate  speech  in 
behalf  of  the  city  of  which  he  was  a  resident,  and  invited 
"everybody  and  his  wife"  to  come  to  Texas  and  to  "test 
Texas  hospitality."  He  was  ably  seconded  in  his  appeal  by 
Revs.  Z.  N.  Morrell  and  J.  W.  D.  Creath.  The  offer  was 
accepted. 

It  was  in  1873  that  what  was  known  as  the  Centennial 
Commission  was  conceived  by  Doctor  Cutting,  the  object 
of  which  commission  was  to  raise  a  large  fund  from  the 
Baptists  of  the  United  States  for  educational  purposes  in 
Baptist  schools  and  colleges.  Attending  on  the  meeting  of 
the  commission  in  New  York,  Dr.  R.  C.  Burleson  was  ap- 
pointed its  agent  in  Texas.  On  his  return  he  entered  on 
his  work  in  the  interest  of  the  existing  denominational 
schools,  but  declined  to  represent  in  his  pleas  the  Education 
Union,  which  had  been  created  by  the  denomination,  to 
found  a  general  and  central  university  for  the  Baptists  of 
Texas.  This  was  an  additional  occasion  for  fresh  division, 
and  necessitated  action  on  the  part  of  those  having  in  charge 
the  Education  Union,  to  insist  on  proper  recognition  at  the 


216  HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

hands  of  the  agent,  and  to  be  included  in  the  uniform  move- 
ment throughout  the  country.  In  this  appeal  to  the  Central 
Commission  in  New  York  the  Education  Union  came  to  be 
recognized  and  was  included. 

In  the  year  1873  Texas  had  another  serious  visitation 
of  the  yellow  fever  epidemic,  with  its  attendant  depression 
and  demoralization.  The  State  Convention  was  to  have  been 
held  that  year  at  Huntsville,  but  it  was  deemed  wise  to 
change  both  the  time  and  place  of  the  meeting  of  the  body, 
and  so  the  convention  met  with  the  First  Church  at  Austin 
on  November  15.  In  its  organization  W.  C.  Crane  was  made 
president ;  W.  H.  Dodge,  William  Howard  and  J.  H.  Strib- 
ling,  vice-presidents ;  O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  recording  secretary, 
and  W.  W.  Fontaine,  corresponding  secretary.  The  year 
was  remarkable  for  the  great  meetings  which  had  been  held 
throughout  the  state.  Among  the  active  participants  in  this 
work  were  certain  ministerial  students  at  Baylor  University, 
and  here  appear  the  names  of  some  young  men  who  have 
since  become  prominent  in  the  denomination.  The  young 
men  studying  for  the  ministry  at  Baylor  had  such  represent- 
atives in  the  field  as  J-  M.  Carroll,  George  W.  Baines,  Jr.', 
M.  M.  Haggard  and  C.  B.  Hollis.  These  young  men  re- 
ceived special  mention  at  the  hands  of  the  Board  of  Direct- 
ors in  its  annual  report  to  the  State  Convention.  At  this 
session  of  the  body  J.  W.  D.  Creath  found  it  necessary  to 
withdraw  from  the  general  work,  in  order  to  procure  funds 
for  building  a  meeting  house  for  the  Baptists  in  the  city  of 
San  Antonio.  On  this  special  work  he  set  his  heart,  and  in 
order  to  its  consummation  he  resolved  to  give  to  it  his  entire 
time.  In  his  last  report  to  the  convention  he  stated  that  the 
convention,  from  the  time  of  its  organization  in  1848,  had. 
through  its  missionaries,  organized  one  hundred  and  fifteen 
churches  and  had  baptized  seven  thousand  persons  on  a  pro- 
fession of  faith.  The  annual  report  showed  that  the  sum 
of  $800  had  been  collected  on  the  field  during  the  preceding 
year.  The  activities  of  the  missionaries  of  the  convention 
were  equaled  by  those  of  the  General  Association,  the  annual 
report  of  which  body  shows  that  there  had  been  ten  churches 
organized,  and  thirty-one  persons  baptized,  by  the  mission- 
aries  of   that  organization.     The   collection';   on    the   field, 


ACTIVITY    AND    AGITATION  217 

however,  \yere  meager,  as  only  $398.25  was  reported  as  the 
result  of  the  year's  work.  At  this  session  of  the  General 
Association  the  Sunday-school  and  Mission  Boards  were 
merged  and  located  at  Dallas.  During  the  year  special  effort 
had  been  made  in  Sunday-school  work  under  the  efficient 
agency  of  Rev.  M.  V.  Smith,  who,  in  addition  to  the  organi- 
zation of  new  schools,  was  engaged  also  in  the  collection  of 
Sunday-school  statistics. 

The  evangelistic  activity  of  the  denomination  during  the 
year  1873,  awoke  fresh  hope  and  stimulation.  All  that  was 
needed  at  this  time  was  a  solid  front  of  denominational  ag- 
gressiveness. No  people  Avere  ever  more  ready  for  a  for- 
ward stride  and  for  the  accomplishment  of  brilliant  achieve- 
ments. But  the  divided  condition  unfitted  them  for  the  work 
which  seemed  so  inviting. 

On  December  30,  Judge  R.  E.  B.  Baylor,  for  whom  the 
university  is  named,  died  at  his  residence,  at  Gayhill,  Wash- 
ington county,  and  was  buried,  at  his  own  request,  on  the 
campus  of  Baylor  University,  at  Independence.  His  simple 
grave  may  be  seen  just  a  short  distance  to  the  rear  of  the 
first  edifice  which  was  erected  on  the  campus  of  the  old 
buildings,  in  the  town  of  Independence.  The  name  of 
Robert  Emmett  Bledsoe  Baylor  will  ever  be  inseparable 
from  the  early  struggles  and  splendid  achievements  of  the 
Baptists  of  Texas.  His  was  a  remarkable  career  of  fealty 
to  his  state  as  a  soldier,  a  civilian,  a  statesman,  a  jurist,  and 
to  his  denomination  as  a  devoted  member,  a  man  worthy 
of  imitation  in  the  piety  of  his  life  and  as  a  simple  preacher 
of  the  gospel.  His  impress  will  abide  when  the  stars 
shall  fade. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS. 

The  year  1874  gave  but  little  assurance  of  harmony  in 
the  ranks  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  They  were  riven  in 
twain  on  the  educational  question,  with  no  visible  hope  of 
subsequent  peace.  The  year  was  ushered  in  with  a  new 
Richmond  in  the  field.  The  surge  of  battle  had  provoked 
the  existence  of  another  Baptist  paper,  and  a  paper  born 
under  such  a  stress  as  now  prevailed,  was  indicative  of  any- 
thing but  concord.  It  meant  that  the  line  of  battle  was  to 
be  organized  anew  and  that  execution,  not  wholly  amicable 
and  fraternal,  was  to  follow.  The  Religions  Messenger 
began  its  existence  at  Paris,  Texas,  January  3,  1874.  It 
meant  much  that  Rev.  R.  C.  Buckner  was  the  editor.  Ami- 
able in  disposition,  persuasive  in  power,  skillful  in  argu- 
ment, popular,  and  of  unquestioned  sincerity,  he  appeared  in 
the  editorial  arena  amply  qualified  to  wield  a  trenchant  pen 
in  advocacy  of  what  had  come  to  be  called  "the  Waco  pol- 
icy," which  was  only  another  name  for  protesting  against 
the  centralization  of  the  Baptist  schools  into  one  large  insti- 
tution of  learning,  perhaps  distinct  and  apart  from  either  of 
those  already  existing.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Texas  Bap- 
tist Herald  had  for  years,  under  Doctor  Link,  been  urging 
an  opposite  policy.  As  close  unity  as  the  new  paper  under 
Doctor  Buckner  advocated  was  that  of  the  maintenance  of 
two  general  bodies,  such  as  the  State  Convention  and  the 
General  Association  were,  and  two  large  institutions  of 
learning. 

The  advent  of  the  Religious  Messenger  was  hailed  with 
delight  by  those  who  coincided  with  the  policy  of  divided 
interests,  which  policy  grew  in  popularity  and  rapidly  won 
esteem  and  a  large  following.  This  heightened  the  intensity 
of  the  relations  already  strained  to  a  considerable  tension, 

218 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  219 

and  blotted  all  apparent  hope  of  a  reconciliation  of  the 
Baptists  to  a  common  unity.  Nor  did  the  attitude  of  Presi- 
dent Burleson  to  the  Education  Union  afiford  any  relief.  His 
lack  of  sympathy  for  this  institution  prompted  him  to  throw 
all  of  his  influence,  as  the  representative  in  Texas  of  the 
movement  begun  by  Doctor  Cutting,  against  the  commission. 
The  commission  felt  encouraged  in  the  prosecution  of  its 
work  by  the  generous  reception  given  it,  and  by  the  prompt 
response  to  the  appeal  for  the  first  installment  of  $10,000 
as  a  basis  for  beginning  the  work. 

Thus  were  arrayed  against  each  other  the  ablest  men 
of  the  denomination,  each  party  with  its  organ  and  organi- 
zation. The  battle  waxed  hot  from  the  outset,  and  the 
possibility  of  agreement  receded  as  the  tide  of  conflict  rolled 
on.  With  the  utmost  abandon  men  indulged  in  the  full 
expression,  which  was  not  always  tempered  by  fraternal 
love.  Vitriol  flowed  in  the  columns  of  the  papers,  each  of 
which  was  increased  in  circulation,  as  each  grew  in  popular 
esteem,  within  the  boundary  of  its  constituency.  From  the 
Panhandle  to  the  Gulf,  and  from  the  Sabine  to  the  staked 
plains,  Texas  was  the  battle  ground  of  contending  Baptists. 
There  was  no  stint  of  utterance,  no  chariness  of  sentiment. 
Apart  from  the  expediency  of  such  a  course,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  this  copious  and  unreserved  expression  of 
liberty,  this  freedom  of  utterance,  was  the  safety  valve  of 
the  denomination  during  a  period  when  everything  was 
needed  to  be  fully  understood.  To  have  disguised  and  dis- 
sembled at  such  a  time  would  have  involved  future  trouble, 
whereas  a  thorough  unmasking  of  every  possible  position 
now,  prepared  the  way  for  the  consummation  which  lay  in 
the  distant  future,  and  without  which  complete  understand- 
ing, no  such  culmination  would  ever  have  been  reached.  This 
is  no  justification  of  many  things  said  and  done  during  a 
time  when  passion  was  supreme  to  judgment,  but  the  unre- 
strained lengths  to  which  men  went,  and  the  full  exposure 
of  every  position  enabled  them  to  judge  with  accuracy  of 
each  other,  as  they  could  not  have  done  had  it  been  other- 
wise. 

The  freedom  of  speech  in  which  Baptists  have  always 
indulged  has  frequently  won  for  them  undeserved  censure, 


230 


HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


especially  from  the  unthoughtful.  Baptists  have  oftentimes 
been  reprehended  for  unrestrained  liberty  of  speech,  espe- 
cially when  freely  indulged  in  among  themselves,  and  yet 
all  history  shows  that  that  principle  is  the  basic  one  of  every 
free  institution  that  has  found  existence  under  the  sun.  That 
it  may  have  drifted  into  license  at  times,  is  not  denied ;  but 
that  is  the  inevitable  accompaniment  of  every  aspect  of 
human  freedom.     Liberty  of  speech  is  the  vent  of  freedom 


REV.  B.  L.  SPRINGER,  ABILENE,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Lee  Co.,  Miss.,  .July  27,  18C2  ;  educated  in  the  public  school 
.it  Bluff  Springs ;  came  to  Texas  in  1877 ;  left  the  railroad  service  in 
1890  and  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the  ministry  by  the  church  at 
Lometa,  Texas,  in  August,  1891 ;  he  has  held  a  number  of  important 
pastorates  and  has  baptized  about  500  people  during  his  ministry  ;  he  is 
now  at  work  as  evangelist  of  the  Sweetwater  Association,  and  his  labors 
are  richly  blessed  of  God.) 

everywhere.  In  the  exercise  of  such  liberty,  Baptists  have 
waged  verbal  contests,  such  as  was  carried  on  during  the 
period  now  under  consideration,  but  the  cyclone  purifies  the 
atmosphere  and  precedes  the  permanent  calm.  This  liberty 
of  speech  on  the  part  of  Baptists,  sometimes  at  its 
height,  would  seem  to  give  but  little  promise  of  the  ultimate 
peace  sought,  yet  it  has  come  anon,  and  following  it  has 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  221 

come  a  solidity  of  permanency  which  would  never  have 
been  attained  independent  of  distraction  arising  from  a  full 
expression  of  view.  A  cause  or  principle  which  cannot 
survive  a  stormy  discussion,  and  finally  emerge  into  the 
clear  light  of  vindication,  furnishes  thereby  the  strongest 
evidence  of  its  unworthiness.  The  principle  of  free  speech 
has  done  more  to  make  compact  the  numerous  units  of  Bap- 
tist forces,  and  to  make  formidable  the  independent  churches 
which  are  unbound  by  ecclesiastical  dogma  or  supervision, 
than  could  have  been  effected  without  unrestrained  freedom 
of  speech.  This  principle  has  found  its  vindication  in  the 
press  of  the  greatest  republic  the  world  has  known,  and  it 
is  the  underlying  principle  of  every  great  government. 
Muzzle  speech,  and  the  vent  hole  of  liberty  is  stopped  and 
disorder  is  bred.  Churches,  while  sacred,  are  still  human. 
In  order  to  development  there  must  be  breathing-space;  in 
order  to  expansion,  elbow-room.  In  all  Baptist  struggles, 
sanity  has  eventually  prevailed,  and  its  ultimate  dominance 
has  been  made  the  stronger  because  of  the  preceding  contest. 
It  was  unfortunate  that  the  Baptists  of  Texas  could  not 
see  alike  in  the  present  contention,  as  it  always  is,  but  in  this 
contest  the  darkness  had  to  precede  the  dawn.  In  this  con- 
tention between  the  two  divisions  of  Baptists  there  was  evi- 
dent advantage  on  the  side  of  the  General  Association.  Its 
constituency  was  practically  a  unit.  Within  the  confines  of 
the  body  was  a  school  which  was  flourishing  in  a  growing 
town.  Its  able  paper  was  making  rapid  headway,  and  the 
region  embraced  within  the  territory  of  the  association  was 
increasing  in  population  and  developing  at  a  most  encourag- 
ing rate.  On  the  other  hand,  while  the  organ  of  the  State 
Convention  was  ably  conducted,  the  school  within  its  terri- 
tory was  on  the  rapid  decline,  and  stood  opposed  to  the  pol- 
icy advocated  by  the  paper,  and  was  thus  far  in  full  accord 
with  the  opposition.  Everything  conspired  to  favor  Waco 
as  an  education  center,  while  absolutely  nothing  was  helpful 
to  Independence.  The  population  had  poured  northward, 
the  strength  of  the  Baptists  in  the  upper  regions  of  the  state 
had  stranded  Baylor  University  at  Independence,  and  wise 
men  could  not  close  their  eyes  to  facts.  It  might  have  been 
occasion  for  regret,  atid  was ;  but  the  fact  remained,  and 


223  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

wisdom  proceeds  along  the  line  of  fact  and  not  of  empty 
sentiment.     I'^or  Baylor  University  in  its  original  location 
the  hour  of  opportunity  has  passed,  never  to  return. 
"The  mill  will  never  grind  with  the  water  that  is  past." 

It  was  only  a  question  of  time  when  the  loyalty  of  the 
denomination,  dictated  by  wisdom,  would  concentrate  its 
educational  interests  elsewhere.  Then,  too,  the  time  had 
come  to  American  institutions  when  they  would  leave  the 
eddies  of  population  and  seek  the  deep  currents  of  human 
life,  in  the  crowded  centers.  Sentiment  of  location  and 
misconceived  notions  of  freedom  from  vice  in  retired  nooks, 
has  become  traditional,  and  the  institution  which  would 
avail  most  must  find  an  abiding  quarter  where  life  is  most 
illustrative  and  tensest. 

In  May,  1874,  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  was  held 
at  Jefferson.  In  some  respects  the  meeting  was  a  mem- 
orable one.  The  body  had  never  before  met  in  Texas,  and 
the  presence  of  so  many  lights  of  the  denomination,  and  the 
scope  of  the  work,  brought  for  the  first  time  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  large  delegation  of  Texans  present,  produced  a 
profound  impression.  Through  the  management  of  Dr. 
J.  B.  Link  and  others,  the  generosity  of  the  railway  lines  of 
the  state  was  enlisted  in  giving  to  the  members  of  the  con- 
vention a  free  excursion  throughout  Texas.  The  object 
was  two-fold — on  the  side  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  an  ex- 
pression of  hospitality  hitherto  unequaled;  on  the  part  of 
the  railroads,  to  give  broad  advertisement  of  the  attractions 
of  Texas.  The  state  was  traversed  throughout,  along  all 
the  main  lines  of  railway,  and,  by  prearrangement,  Baptists 
and  others  along  the  route  w^ould  meet  the  crowded  trains 
of  tourists  with  abundant  refreshments  during  the  day,  and 
provide  for  their  accommodation  in  the  cities  at  night.  It 
was  a  lavish  display  of  generosity  and  hospitality,  and  the 
result  was  the  awakening  of  a  widespread  interest  in  behalf 
of  Texas.  An  embarrassing  episode,  in  connection  with 
this  marvelous  railway  pilgrimage,  occurred  at  Dallas,  then 
a  booming  town,  where  the  enterprising  mayor  and  other 
citizens,  bent  on  making  the  best  impression  possible,  ar- 
ranged for  a  reception  of  the  tourists  at  the  opera  house. 
Carriages  bore  the  delegates  thither,  where  the  most  cordial 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  223 

greeting  was  extended  by  the  mayor,  in  which  were  expres- 
sions compHmentary  to  the  great  Baptist  denomination. 
Among  others  who  spoke  in  reply,  was  Dr.  J.  H.  DeVotie, 
of  Georgia.  Among  other  things  said  by  him,  he  spoke  of 
soul-h'berty  as  a  cardinal  principle  of  Baptists,  which  prin- 
ciple, he  alleged,  has  been  won  through  the  ages  without  the 
taint  or  stain  of  blood  on  the  escutcheon  of  the  denomina- 
tion. This  he  compared  to  the  propagation  of  the  religion 
of  Romanism  by  the  sword  and  fagot.  The  fact  was  subse- 
quently disclosed  that  the  mayor  himself  was  an  ardent 
Roman  Catholic.  This  was  an  incident  that  awoke  great 
regret  and  from  none  more  than  from  Doctor  DeVotie  him- 
self, for  he  was  the  impersonation  of  a  chivalrous  gentleman. 
It  was  an  indiscretion  into  which  he  blundered,  and  while  it 
was  true,  the  proprieties  of  the  occasion  forbade  its  utterance. 

In  July,  following  the  meeting  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Convention,  the  General  Association  held  its  seventh  annual 
session  at  Dallas.  It  was  clear  that  The  Religious  Messenger 
had  aroused  greater  interest  in  denominational  enterprises. 
The  attendance  on  the  meeting  was  good,  and  the  enthusiasm 
in  the  different  branches  of  denominational  effort  was  en- 
couraging. The  reports  of  the  two  general  missionaries, 
E.  B.  Hardie  and  J.  E.  Sligh,  showed  progress  in  new  fields, 
while  the  Sunday-school  work,  which  went  along  parallel 
with  the  other,  through  the  years,  was  one  of  great  en- 
couragement. The  receipts  from  the  field  amounted  to 
$403.75.  In  the  report  on  education,  the  Waco  and  Shreve- 
port  Universities  were  endorsed.  The  grave  financial  de- 
pression prevailing  throughout  the  country  at  this  time,  and 
especially  throughout  the  South,  seriously  hindered  all  de- 
nominational effort.  Affairs  were  greatly  unsettled,  and 
under  the  regime  of  reconstruction  and  the  present  financial 
stress,  the  masses  were  intolerably  harassed. 

The  State  Convention  for  1874  was  held  at  Galveston. 
W.  C.  Crane  was  made  president ;  W.  H.  Dodge,  William 
Howard  and  j .  H.  Stribling,  vice  presidents ;  O.  H.  P.  Gar- 
rett, recording  secretary,  and  W.  W.  Fontaine,  correspond- 
ing secretary.  The  proceedings  had  lapsed  into  merely 
formal  exercises,  and  there  was  but  little  spirit  in  the  body. 
The  future  gave  but  little  assurance  of  the  restoration  of 


224  lilSTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

order  and  a  stable  basis  on  which  the  country  might  safel\ 
proceed.  The  convention  felt  insecure  in  the  projection  of 
any  new  plans  based  on  financial  safety.  One  missionary 
alone  had  been  employed  by  the  board,  and  help  had  been 
rendered  several  district  associations  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  local  work.  Practically  but  little  was  being-  done,  and 
the  agitated  condition  of  the  denomination  was  productive 
of  anything  rather  than  of  assurance.  During  the  year, 
collections  from  all  sources  aggregated  $1,050.50.  Still  the 
leaders  were  not  without  hope.  How  the  tangled  condition 
of  their  educational  affairs  would  be  unraveled  no  one  was 
bold  enough  to  predict.  The  opposing  divisions  seemed 
each  intent  on  the  accomplishment  of  a  given  end,  which 
lay  respectively  wide  apart,  with  no  visible  possibility  of  a 
single  point  of  contact  or  agreement.  The  Texas  Baptist 
Herald  hoped  to  realize  vast  results  from  the  centennial 
movement,  yet  the  Education  Union  was  confronted  by  the 
opposition  of  Doctor  Burleson,  who,  by  reason  of  his  being 
the  agent  for  that  movement  in  the  state,  was  in  position 
to  hamper  it  most  seriously.  Hope  was  directed  to  a  forth- 
coming meeting  of  the  Education  Union  to  be  held  in  1875 
to  devise  a  method  of  procedure  with  respect  to  the  centen- 
nial movement.  Meantime  there  was  no  abatement  of  the 
discussion  through  the  rival  papers,  which  swallowed  all 
else.  With  the  advent  of  1875,  came  the  hope  that  the 
troublous  question  might  in  some  way  be  solved  and  settled. 
As  has  already  been  said,  the  opposition  of  Doctor  Burleson 
was  somewhat  neutralized  by  the  ability  of  the  Education 
Commission  to  succeed  in  gaining  recognition  from  the 
headquarters  of  the  movement  in  New  York.  After  this 
was  effected,  the  plan  was  adopted  by  the  Education 
Union  of  inviting  a  meeting  of  representative  Bap- 
tists at  Bremond  on  June  23,  1875.  In  advance  of  the 
proposed  convention  at  Bremond,  a  number  of  leading  men 
met  at  Navasota  to  devise  a  plan  of  action  at  the  proposed 
meeting.  They  came  from  all  quarters  and  were  represent- 
ative of  every  phase  of  sentiment.  The  presidents  of  the 
two  schools  were  there.  Doctors  Burleson  and  Crane,  to- 
gether with  Drs.  B.  H.  Carroll,  R.  C.  Buckner,  J.  B.  Link 
and  Jonas  Johnston.    For  an  entire  night  this  advance  com- 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  225 

mittee  wrestled  with  the  problem,  and  the  decision  was 
finally  reached  so  to  combine  the  two  existing  schools  as  to 
make  them  one,  which  institution  was  to  be  known  as  Bay- 
lor University.  By  this  arrangement  the  school  at  Inde- 
pendence was  to  become  academic  and  theological,  while 
the  one  at  Waco  should  become  purely  classical.  A  further 
arrangement  was  proposed,  by  which  an  endowment  of  two 
or  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  was  to  be  raised,  the  first 
twenty-five  of  which  was  to  be  devoted  to  the  school  at  Inde- 
pendence. The  schools  were  to  be  accepted  just  as  they 
were,  and  no  bonus  was  to  be  required  of  either  locality. 

Presuming  on  the  action  of  the  convention  some  years 
previously,  in  which  there  was  expressed  disapproval  of  the 
removal  of  Baylor  University  from  Independence,  the  trus- 
tees of  that  school  declined  to  consider  the  proposal.  By 
some,  this  action  of  the  trustees  was  regarded  as  most  for- 
tunate, as  it  was  believed  that  such  action  as  was  originally 
proposed  would  have  involved  perpetual  friction  between 
the  two  divisions  at  Waco  and  Independence.  This  left  the 
advance  meeting  held  at  Navasota  valueless,  and  the  way 
was  entirely  clear  for  freedom  of  action  when  the  proposed 
convention  should  assemble  at  Bremond.  The  wide  publica- 
tion of  the  meeting  soon  to  be  held,  together  with  its 
purposes,  brought  a  large  and  representative  body  of  Bap- 
tists from  every  part  of  the  state.  The  original  plan  hav- 
ing failed  and  gone  to  pieces,  the  perplexity  still  was  what 
procedure  should  be  adopted  at  Bremond.  No  one  had 
another  plan  to  propose,  and  the  matter  was  left  open  till 
the  representatives  should  come  together. 

When  the  convention  assembled  it  was  found  that  there 
were  four  interests  to  be  respected — Baylor  and  Waco  Uni- 
versities, Dallas  College  and  the  Education  Union,  An 
organization  was  perfected  by  the  election  of  J,  H.  Stribling, 
president,  and  J.  M.  Lewis  and  G.  W,  Baines,  Jr,,  secre- 
taries. On  motion  it  was  agreed  that  all  the  interests 
present  be  allowed  to  appoint  three  members  of  a  pro- 
posed committee,  to  which  was  to  be  added  three  others  by 
the  chair,  making  a  committee  of  fifteen,  and  this  commit- 
tee was  to  retire  and  report  a  plan  of  procedure.  For 
almost  an  entire  nisfht  the  committee  was  assembled  with- 


22G 


ITFRTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


out  being  able  to  reach  any  agreement  as  a  base  of  action. 
The  air  was  full  of  distrust.  The  next  morning  the  com- 
mittee met  again,  and  Dr.  J.  P.  Boyce,  president  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  who  was  present, 
was  invited  to  meet  the  committee  and  offer  any  advice 
wliicli  he  niiuht  sec  fit  to  "ive  in  aid  of  the  solution  of  the 


REV.   ADONIRAM  JUDSOX  HOLT,   TASTOR,   KNOXVILLE,   TENX. 

(Born  Dec.  1.  1847  ;  educated  at  McKenzie  College  and  S.  B.  T.  S.  ; 
D.  D.  by  three  colleges,  A.  M.  by  Alma  Mater  ;  18  years  a  pastor ;  22  years 
a  missionary  and  mission  secretary  ;  editor  of  Texas  Baptist  Herald  and 
Baptist  Reflector ;  author  of  "Miriam  Heth,"  "Parthenia,"  "Missionary 
Manual"  ;  has  traveled  in  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa ;  preached  7,600  ser- 
mons ;  dedicated  13G  church  houses  ;  baptized  1,825  people  ;  preached  the 
first  sermon  and  baptized  the  first  person  among  the  wild  Indians ; 
visited  75  state  and  several  conventions  and  425  District  Associations 
up  to  the  time  he  was  60  years  old.  Has  six  living  children  and  four 
grandchildren ;  was  Manager,  Treasurer  and  Supt.  of  Tenn.  Baptist 
Orpliaus'  Home,  many  years,  in  connection  with  his  missionary  work.) 

problem.  Others  followed  Doctor  Boyce,  and  the  occasion 
was  turned  into  a  prayer-meeting  of  great  power.  Among 
other  proposed  measures  was  that  of  making  Baylor  Univer- 
sity at  Independence  the  central  Baptist  educational  interest, 
but  the  motion  failed  of  adoption.  A  similar  effort  was 
made  with  respect    to    Waco    University,  with  the  same 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  237 

result.  At  this  juncture  Dr.  J.  B.  Link  outlined  a  plan 
which  was  adopted.  The  plan  proposed  the  appointment  of 
a  committee  of  thirty  members,  to  be  called  the  Central 
Baptist  Education  Commission  of  Texas,  which  committee 
was  to  be  charged  with  the  work  of  raising  $250,000,  $100,- 
000  of  which  amount  was  to  be  invested,  and  the  donors  of 
the  amount  named  should  have  the  privilege  of  locating  the 
proposed  school,  respect  to  be  had  for  the  largest  bonus 
which  should  be  offered  by  any  one  place  and  for  the  eligi- 
bility of  said  place.  The  plan  further  proposed  that  the 
interest  accruing  from  the  invested  funds  be  subject  to  the 
direction  of  the  donors  in  being  applied  to  the  chartered 
schools  already  existing.  A  further  provision  was  that  all 
funds  in  the  hands  of  the  Education  Union  be  transferred 
to  the  commission,  that  the  Education  Union  be  dissolved, 
that  no  impediment  be  thrown  in  the  way  of  any  agent  of 
any  existing  school,  and  that  agents  of  such  schools  be  re- 
quested not  to  obstruct  the  work  of  the  proposed  commission. 
This  came  within  one  of  the  unanimous  adoption  by  the  com- 
mittee of  fifteen.  An  agreement  so  sudden  and  unexpected 
provoked  tears  and  confessions  of  indiscreet  utterances. 
The  agreement  was  signed  by  B.  H.  Carroll,  F,  M.  Law, 
W.  C.  Crane,  R.  C.  Burleson,  J.  A.  Kimball,  Hosea  Garrett, 
H.  W.  Dodge,  J.  B.  Link,  T.  J.  Drane,  J.  W.  Speight, 
W.  E.  Clark,  Abram  Weaver,  G.  T.  Wilburn  and  Jonas 
Johnston.  John  McKnight,  of  Independence,  alone  declined 
to  enter  into  the  agreement.  The  committee  was  forthwith 
resolved  into  a  prayer  and  praise  meeting.  Among  other 
things  President  Burleson  said  that  he  had  such  sacred  awe 
for  the  occasion  and  for  that  which  it  had  brought  forth, 
that  he  felt  like  taking  off  his  shoes,  for  he  felt  as  though 
he  was  on  holy  ground,  so  impressed  was  he  with  the  pres- 
ence of  God  on  the  occasion.  The  eft'ect  was  electrical,  and 
men  wept  as  though  they  were  babes.  All  felt  that  every 
trouble  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas  was  now  at  an  end,  and 
that  only  a  glorious   future  awaited  them. 

In  the  afternoon  the  plan  was  submitted  by  the  commit- 
tee to  the  convention,  several  questions  were  asked  and 
answered,  and  after  a  brief  discussion,  the  report  was 
adopted  bv  a  rising  vote.    Among  those  who  spoke  in  praise 


228  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

of  tlic  plan  and  who  gave  it  public  endorsement  were  Presi- 
dents Burleson,  Crane  and  Wilburn,  of  Dallas  College,  B.  H. 
Carroll  and  others.  The  adoption  of  the  report  aroused 
great  enthusiasm,  and  the  convention  sang  the  doxology  in 
grateful  praise.  The  proposed  commission  was  organized 
on  the  spot,  and  it  was  agreed  to  hold  its  meetings  in  con- 
nection with  the  annual  gatherings  of  the  two  chief  bodies 
— the  State  Convention  and  the  General  Association.  After 
the  appointment  of  an  executive  board  of  twelve  members 
Doctor  Burleson  nominated  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  as  the  agent 
of  the  commission  to  raise  the  proposed  mount,  but  he 
promptly  declined  to  consider  it. 

With  buoyant  hearts  all  turned  again  homeward.  No 
one  seemed  to  doubt  that  the  solution  of  the  difficulties  and 
perplexities  which  had  so  long  afflicted  the  denomination 
were  now  at  an  end.  Never  was  hope  more  buoyant,  never 
a  prospect  brighter.  When  the  General  Association  met 
at  Sherman  a  month  later  there  was  not  a  quorum  of  the 
commission  present,  but  business  was  transacted  and  made 
subject  to  the  ratification  of  the  commission  when  a  quorum 
should  be  present.  This  meeting  w^as  held  in  connection 
with  the  eighth  annual  session  of  the  General  Association. 
The  reports  from  different  quarters  of  the  territory  of  the 
association  showed  genuine  progress,  but  there  was  a  wail 
of  stringency  in  financial  matters.  There  Avas  a  lack  of 
harmony,  however,  in  matters  of  a  local  nature  on  the  field, 
though  with  respect  to  all  general  denominational  matters 
there  was  thorough  accord  and  acquiescence.  In  the  re- 
port of  the  corresponding  secretary  allusion  was  made  to 
the  meetings  of  power  w'hich  had  been  held  during  the  year, 
to  the  financial  stringency,  to  the  numerous  accessions  to  our 
ministerial  ranks  from  other  states,  and  to  the  approaching 
centennial  movement  as  a  period  liable  to  become  "a  year 
immortal  in  the  memory  of  man."  A  restrictive  policy  was 
adopted  relative  to  the  membership  of  the  body,  requiring 
that  only  such  should  be  recognized  as  members  who  were 
sent  from  churches  belonging  to  the  General  Association. 
This  was  taken  to  mean  that  a  cordon  of  defense  should 
be  placed  about  the  body  against  certain  influc;";tial  mem- 
bers from  other  sections  of  the  state,  who  were  co-oper- 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  229 

ating  with  the  body  as  messengers  from  remote  churches. 
A  note  of  harmony  was  sounded,  however,  when  both 
of  the  papers  were  endorsed.  The  report  on  Home  Mis- 
sions showed  that  within  the  last  nine  years  the  Domes- 
tic Board  at  Marion,  Alabama,  had  expended  in  the  state 
$7,199.06  and  had  received  in  return  during  the  same 
time  $12,370.50.  "  The  centennial  movement,  which  began 
a  month  before  at  Bremond,  was  earnestly  endorsed,  and  the 
effort  to  found  a  central  educational  institution  was  ap- 
proved. A  movement  looking  to  the  unification  of  the  Sun- 
day-school work  found  expression  in  the  proposal  to  hold  a 
convention  for  that  purpose  during  the  following  November. 
Dr.  R.  C.  Buckner  was  appointed  the  general  missionary  of 
the  association,  and  E.  B.  Hardie  and  J.  E.  Sligh  were  con- 
tinued as  general  agents. 

The  meeting  of  the  General  Association  was  followed  by 
a  comparative  calm,  as  it  was  generally  conceded  to  be  a 
foregone  conclusion  that  at  last  the  denomination  had 
reached  a  basis  of  agreement  on  the  educational  question. 
This  general  impression  put  a  quietus  on  the  denomination, 
and  gave  a  sense  of  universal  relief. 

When  the  State  Convention  met  at  Calvert  on  October 
2,  1875,  interest  centered  in  the  educational  movement.  All 
minds  and  hearts  were  turned  toward  that  one  absorbing 
thought.  This,  taken  in  connection  with  the  uniform  move- 
ment, proposed  on  the  part  of  the  Baptists  of  the  United 
States  to  raise  an  immense  sum  in  1876,  for  educational  pur- 
poses, in  celebration  of  the  centenary  of  religious  liberty, 
produced  a  thrill  of  religious  patriotism  everywhere.  In 
view  of  this  proposed  movement  the  following  was  adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  we  most  heartily  approve  the  resolution 
of  the  Education  Commission  assembled  at  Bremond. 
Texas,  June  23  to  raise  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars  to  establish  and  endow  an  institution  of  higher 
learning  for  the  state  of  Texas  to  be  located  by  the  donors 
when  the  money  is  raised."  During  the  year  $1,458.55  had 
been  raised  by  the  representatives  of  the  convention  for  all 
purposes.  The  trustees  of  Baylor  College  for  Girls  an- 
nounced the  resignation  of  Colonel  Fontaine,  the  president 
of  the  school,  and  the  election  of  Dr.  William  Royall  as  his 


230  HISTORY    or    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

successor.  Doctor  Royall  had  enjoyed  exceptional  advan- 
tages in  his  scholastic  course,  having  been  a  student  in  South 
Carolina  College  under  such  men  as  Thornwcll,  Hooper, 
Elliott  and  Lieber.  He  was  converted  under  the  preaching 
of  Richard  Fuller,  and  w^as  baptized  by  the  elder  Basil 
Manly.  He  was  a  trained  teacher,  a  fervent  student  and 
was  possessed  of  a  well-poised  character. 

At  the  convention  at  Calvert  steps  were  taken  to  reach 
the  colored  ministry,  and  through  that  means  to  affect, 
through  evangelistic  effort,  the  negroes  of  the  state.  During 
the  session  of  the  body,  the  Education  Commission  held  a 
session,  at  which  the  financial  secretaryship  was  again  ten- 
dered to  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll,  but  he  again  declined  even  to 
consider  it.  This  furnished  a  ground  of  opposition  to  the 
movement  on  the  part  of  President  Burleson,  who  had  sup- 
ported the  measure,  as  it  would  now  appear,  with  that  end 
in  view.  At  any  rate,  the  declination  of  the  financial  secre- 
taryship by  Doctor  Carroll  cooled  the  ardor  of  Doctor 
Burleson,  and  his  enthusiasm  at  Bremond,  when  he  had  felt 
that  he  stood  on  holy  ground,  was  turned  into  opposition. 
What  other  basis  of  opposition  he  may  have  had  is  perhaps 
not  known,  but  that  he  became  one  of  its  stoutest  opponents 
is  a  matter  of  historic  fact.  With  the  declination  of  Doctor 
Carroll,  the  position  of  financial  secretary  was  tendered  to 
Dr.  F.  M.  Law,  and  he  accepted  it.  That  the  choice  of 
Doctor  Law  was  a  wise  one,  the  cool  business  which  he 
injected  into  it  and  the  success  which  crowned  his  efforts 
abundantly  justify.  It  is  a  matter  of  doubt  if  any  other  at 
all  could  have  accomplished  more  than  did  he. 

It  was  in  1875  that  Major  W.  E.  Penn  began  his  mar- 
velous career  as  an  evangelist.  Allusion  has  already  been 
made  to  the  part  played  by  Doctor  Buckner,  during  the 
conduct  of  a  meeting  held  in  Jefferson,  in  evoking  into  ac- 
tivity the  dormant  energies  of  i\Iajor  Pemi.  For  years  to- 
gether he  had  been  content  with  a  plodding  professionism  of 
religion,  but  his  slumbering  soul  was  quickened  by  the  power 
of  the  preaching  of  Buckner,  and  that  was  the  turning-point 
in  the  life  of  Penn.  An  attorney,  he  sought  to  give  activity 
to  his  aroused  powers  in  the  Sunday-school,  to  which  work 
he  became  ardently  attached.     While  attending  a  Sunday- 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  331 

school  institute  at  Tyler,  where  J.  H.  Stribling  was  pastor, 
Penn  was  invited  to  conduct  a  prayer  meeting  in  the  Tyler 
church  the  very  morning  on  which  he  had  arranged  to  re- 
turn to  his  home  at  Jefferson.  Major  Penn  reluctantly 
yielded  to  the  solicitations  of  the  pastor,  conducted  the 
meeting,  and  it  was  attended  with  such  results  that  the  pastor 
prevailed  on  him  to  remain  and  to  conduct  a  similar  meeting 
at  night.  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  Penn  made  his  first 
direct  appeal  to  the  unsaved,  with  such  result  as  positively 
to  surprise  the  lawyer  himself.  In  order  to  prevent  Major 
Penn  from  executing  a  purpose  to  return  home  the  follow- 
ing morning,  Doctor  Stribling  sought  an  expression  from 
the  audience  relative  to  its  wishes  about  the  return  of  Penn 
to  his  home.  By  a  rising  vote  there  was  an  unanimous 
public  protest  against  his  quitting  the  meeting.  Yielding  to 
a  pressure  like  this,  Major  Penn  remained,  the  meeting  lasted 
five  weeks,  the  town  was  shaken  as  never  before,  men  unac- 
customed to  attend  worship  came  to  the  services,  and  were 
converted,  and  fully  one  hundred  were  led  to  Christ  through 
the  instrumentality  of  Major  Penn.  Here  began  his  fame 
as  an  evangelist.  He  gave  up  his  profession  as  an  attorney, 
devoted  himself  to  evangelistic  work,  and  became  famous 
throughout  the  states  of  the  South.  For  many  years  he  was 
a  conspicuous  revivalist,  and  his  services  were  sought  far 
and  wide. 

In  this  connection  it  is  not  improper  to  give  a  more 
extended  notice  to  one  or  more  distinguished  laymen,  whose 
])rominence  was  such  that  their  names  cannot  be  passed  over, 
in  justice,  by  a  merely  casual  mention.  One  of  these  was 
General  Joseph  Warren  Speight.  His  parentage  was  dis- 
tinguished in  the  state  of  North  Carolina,  where  General 
Speight  was  born.  His  father  was  a  congressman  from 
that  state  and  afterward  a  United  States  senator  from  Mis- 
sissippi. The  son  began  life  as  a  young  lawyer  at  Aberdeen, 
Mississippi,  when  he  was  only  twenty  years  old.  His  health 
declining,  he  sought  the  salubrious  West,  and  located  in 
Waco,  as  a  planter,  when  it  was  a  mere  straggling  village. 
Here  he  was  converted,  and  for  many  years  was  identified 
in  numerous  and  conspicuous  ways  with  the  Baptist  cause 
in  that  citv,  and  indeed  in  the  state.     He  was  deacon  and 


HON.    W.    B.    DBNSON,    GAINESVILLE,    TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Alabama,  Dec,  1837;  came  to  Texas.  1853;  graduated  from 
Baylor  University,  1857,  receiving  first  honors  of  his  class ;  graduated  in 
Law  Dept.  Tulane  University,  N.  O.,  La.,  1859 :  entered  Confederate  army 
as  a  private,  April,  1861 ;  when  war  closed  in  May,  1865,  was  Lieut.-Col. 
commanding  the  6th  La.  Cavalry;  practiced  law  in  Galveston  until  1899, 
wjien  he  retired  and  moved  to  Gainesville,  Tex.  Joined  Baptist  church 
In  1854  ;  baptized  by  Dr.  R.  C.  Burleson.  Has  been  an  active  deacon  in 
the  church  31  years :  loves  his  office  and  the  Master's  worlj ;  has  been 
Vice-Pres.   H.   G.    C   of  Texas  a   number  of  times.) 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  233 

clerk  in  the  First  Church  of  Waco,  having  grown  up  with 
it  from  the  beginning  and  was  moderator  of  the  Waco  Asso- 
ciation, president  of  the  General  Association,  and  the  first 
president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Waco  University. 

His  career  as  a  soldier  is  a  most  meritorious  one.  He 
entered  the  army  as  the  colonel  of  a  regiment  in  the  army 
of  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department,  was  promoted  to  a 
brigadiership,  was  wounded  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Louisiana,  and 
left  the  army  with  a  most  honorable  record.  Public-spirited, 
he  was  connected  with  every  enterprise  that  was  conducive 
to  the  development  of  Waco  and  of  the  university.  When 
the  consolidation  came,  in  1886,  he  cheerfully  gave  up  his 
beautiful  home  and  grounds  for  a  site  for  the  university. 

Appropriately  coupled  with  him  in  a  connection  like  this 
may  be  named  General  James  E.  Harrison,  who  was  de- 
scended from  a  distinguished  ancestry,  reaching  from  the 
Revolution,  in  which  his  great-grandfather  was  an  officer 
who  belonged  to  the  military  family  of  Washington.  Gov- 
ernor Benjamin  Harrison,  of  Virginia,  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  President  William  Henry 
Harrison,  and  others  of  the  distinguished  name,  were  those 
from  whom  he  descended  on  his  father's  side,  while  on  the 
maternal  side  he  was  related  to  the  Hamptons  of  South 
Carolina.  While  a  senator  in  the  Mississippi  legislature. 
Harrison  was  the  man  who  nominated  Jefferson  Davis  for 
the  United  States  senatorship.  Settling  on  a  plantation  on 
the  Brazos,  near  Waco,  some  years  before  the  Civil  War, 
he  was  chosen  a  delegate  to  the  secession  convention  of 
this  state,  and  was  called  the  "Patrick  Henry"  of  that  body 
because  of  his  rare  oratory.  His  career  as  a  Confederate 
soldier  began  as  a  lieutenant,  and  by  degrees  he  rose  to  be 
a  brigadier-general.  When  the  petition  for  his  last  promo- 
tion was  endorsed  by  General  E.  Kirby  Smith,  because  of 
his  "distinguished  skill  and  bravery  upon  many  battlefields," 
President  Davis  recalled  the  man  who  had  nominated  him 
for  the  senate  in  the  Mississippi  legislature,  and  promptly 
signed  the  petition  for  his  promotion. 

Returning  from  the  war,  he  resumed  the  function  of  a 
planter  on  the  Brazos,  and  was  frequently  called  into  service 
by  his  denomination.     As  one  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 


234  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Baylor  University,  as  moderator  of  the  Waco  Association, 
and  as  president  of  the  General  Association,  he  rendered 
signal  service,  as  well  as  in  many  other  capacities.  The 
town  of  Harrison,  on  the  Waco  branch  of  the  Texas  Cen- 
tral, commemorates  the  locality  of  his  settlement  in  Mc- 
Lennan county. 

In  January,  1876,  Tlic  Religions  Messenger,  which  had 
been  published  since  its  inception  at  Paris,  was  removed 
to  Dallas  and  the  name  was  changed  to  that  of  The  Texas 
Baptist.,  Points  of  difference  continued  to  exist  between  the 
two  papers,  especially  since  the  efifort  to  combine  all  the  edu- 
cational interests  into  unity,  and  they  w^ere  in  every  respect 
rivals,  before  the  denomination,  for  its  patronage.  There 
were  vital  differences  between  the  journals,  not  only  on  the 
educational  question,  but  on  several  points  of  denominational 
policy.  Both  papers  urged  consolidation,  but  from  different 
points  of  view,  and  dififerent  bases — that  of  the  Texas  Bap- 
tist Herald  being  more  restrictive  than  that  of  The  Texas 
Baptist. 

The  year  1876  was  looked  forward  to  with  exceeding 
great  hopefulness  by  the  Baptists  of  the  country,  and  a  most 
favorable  opportunity  was  afforded  for  tremendous  results 
to  the  cause  of  education,  but  that  which  was  known  as 
"the  centennial  movement"  proved  to  be,  from  mismanage- 
ment, a  practical  failure.  With  the  injection  of  business 
principles  into  the  movement  its  yield  would  have  been 
monumental,  but  it  failed  because  of  an  absence  of  that 
element.  In  some  of  the  states  the  year  was  turned  to 
tolerable  account,  but  the  mistaken  policy  of  expecting  that 
every  Baptist  would  contribute  one  dollar  each  to  educa- 
tion, and  the  restriction  of  all  to  that  amount,  however 
poor  or  rich,  w'as  a  miscalculation.  IMuch  of  the  valuable 
opportunity  was  lost  in  empty  oratory  about  soul  liberty 
and  freedom  of  conscience,  and  the  endurance  of  persecu- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  Baptists  in  the  past,  all  of  which  was 
entertaining  and  perhaps  instructive  enough,  but  this  did 
not  yield  the  results  of  the  original  purpose  of  the  under- 
taking. While  the  instruction  given  during  the  period 
stirred  to  elation  denominational  pride,  it  eventuated  in 
financial  barrenness.     In  Texas,  fortunately,  the  interest  of 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  335 

the  undertaking  was  entrusted  to  the  hands  of  a  safe  and 
sane  business  man,  and  more  was  derived  from  the  under- 
taking perhaps  than  in  most  other  states.  In  the  prosecu- 
tion of  his  arduous  work  Secretary  Law  was  met  with  gen- 
erous sympathy;  but  in  view  of  the  stringency  of  the  times, 
there  was  a  general  hesitation  about  incurring  obHgations 
which  extended  into  the  future.  And  yet  by  October,  1877, 
he  was  enabled  to  report  the  total  assets  of  the  commission 
to  be  $80,500.  The  final  outcome  of  assets  was  $96,673.60. 
This  amount  Doctor  Law  was  enabled  to  raise  in  the  face 
of  opposition  which  was,  at  times,  stout,  and  even  stubborn. 
But  the  delayed  hopes  of  many,  impaired  confidence,  the 
movement  was  finally  abandoned,  and  the  results  turned 
over  to  the  existing  schools.  The  Baptists  of  the  state 
were  not  ready  for  the  decisive  step  in  educational  matters, 
but  the  agitation  of  the  question  was  not  without  vast  good, 
and  gave  propulsion  to  the  period  of  satisfactory  consum- 
mation. The  failure  of  Texas  Baptists  to  utilize  advanta- 
geously the  centennial  movement  by  raising  a  substantial 
centennial  fund,  was  largely  atoned  for  by  a  general  denom- 
inational uplift,  which  ensued  as  a  result  of  the  centennial 
agitation. 

The  year  1876  witnessed  the  election  of  a  distinguished 
Baptist  layman  to  the  governorship  of  the  state.  Richard 
Bennett  Hubbard  was  a  native  Georgian,  a  graduate  from 
Mercer  University,  and  a  graduate  of  "law  from  Harvard 
University.  He  was  brought  into  public  life  by  his  peculiar 
fitness  for  that  sphere,  and  served  his  state  and  the  country 
in  many  important  positions,  every  one  of  which  he  adorned. 

The  year  1876  was  signalized  by  a  remarkable  visita- 
tion of  revivalism  and  evangelism.  A  tidal  wave  of  spir- 
ituality swept  through  the  state  and  thousands  were  saved. 
Alajor  Penn  had  now  given  himself  wholly  to  the  work  of 
an  evangelist,  and  his  meetings  were  attended  with  mar- 
velous demonstrations  of  grace.  Among  the  churches  which 
experienced  these  blessings  was  the  First  Church  of  Waco, 
which,  but  for  the  withdrawal  of  eighty-two  members,  to 
form  another  church,  the  membership  would  have  been 
doubled  as  the  result  of  his  work  and  preaching.  Reports 
of  gracious  meetings  came  from  every  quarter  of  the  state. 


236  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Many  churches,  which  for  a  period  of  years  had  been 
largely  inert,  were  aroused  during  the  eventful  period,  and 
began  a  career  of  usefulness  which  has  continued  with 
expanding  breadth  till  now. 

For  a  period  of  years  the  people  of  the  state  had  suf- 
fered from  much  financial  depression.  It  is  a  noteworthy 
fact  that  the  Spirit  often  chooses  such  periods  for  the^  rich- 
est displays  of  His  power  and  grace.  The  tendency  of  de- 
pendence is  toward  devotion.  In  the  light  of  revealed 
truth  the  philosophy  of  this  is  easily  seen.  "Before  I  was 
atiflicted  I  went  astray;  but  now  have  I  kept  thy  word." 
"It  is  good  for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted,  that  I  might 
learn  thy  statutes."  Prosperity  tends  to  arrogance;  ad- 
versity, to  dependence.  Many  never  hear  God's  voice  save 
in  the  dark  clouds.  So  long  as  the  memory  of  the  year 
1876  remains,  it  will  be  recalled  by  the  people  of  Texas  as 
one  of  a  remarkable  display  of  grace.  From  denominational 
distraction  the  people  turned  to  devotion. 

So  far  as  the  organized  work  of  the  denomination  was 
concerned,  little  was  being  done  through  the  appointed  chan- 
nels, unless  it  be  that  the  work  of  the  Education  Commission 
was  effective,  in  the  way  already  described.  When  the 
General  Association  met  at  Waco  in  1876  the  burden  of  the 
reports  was  that  of  meetings  of  singular  power,  held  during 
the  year  within  the  territory  of  the  body,  while  the  interests 
fostered  by  the  General  Association  had  accomplished  but 
little.  So  far  as  missionary  effort  was  concerned  it  had 
apparently  accomplished  but  little,  as  everything  was  taken 
up  on  the  current  of  revivalism  which  swept  everything 
before  it.  Indeed,  but  little  else  was  thought  of,  or  talked 
about,  during  the  session  but  the  marvelous  meetings. 

During  the  year  many  worthy  pastors  were  called  to  the 
state  from  other  quarters  of  the  country.  This  was  largely 
due,  no  doubt,  to  several  causes,  among  which  may  be 
named  that  of  the  tour  of  the  state  by  the  members  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  just  about  two  years  before, 
and  that  of  the  growing  importance  of  the  state  and  its 
rapid  development.  Every  possible  agency  was  employed 
to  induce  worthy  immigrants  to  Texas,  and  in  this  the 
denominational  organs  were  not  a  whit  less  enterprising  in 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  237 

inducing  pastors  to  come  to  the  state,  provided  that  they 
had  a  mind  to  work.  Worthy  men  have  never  failed  of 
cordial  welcome,  because  there  was  room  for  all  such, 
while  there  has  never  been  in  this  busy  state  the  slightest 
space  for  the  idler  and  lounger.  Men  in  search  of  easy 
positions  have  always  found  a  disappointment  in  Texas, 
while  the  actively  disposed  have  never  lacked  for  oppor- 
tunity for  the  fullest  exercise  of  their  gifts.  In  no  part 
of  the  world  is  one  more  readily  labeled  than  in  Texas. 
Worth  is  estimated  at  its  true  value,  and  according  to  the 
estimate  of  the  individual  himself.  The  state  is  too  young 
for  traditional  fame  and  family  name,  which  boot  as  little 
in  the  bustling  West  as  in  any  quarter  of  the  globe. 

In  the  ebbs  and  flows  of  denominational  eflfort,  for 
unity  of  movement  was  now  greatly  lacking,  the  Sunday- 
school  and  colportage  work  had  dropped  somewhat  out  of 
sight.  For  a  period  of  years  it  held  the  first  place  in  de- 
nominational endeavor,  but  the  urgent  claims  of  divers  in- 
terests had  crowded  it  somewhat  off  the  track.  Still,  the 
organization  was  preserved,  and  the  convention  continued 
to  hold  its  annual  session.  In  1876  the  Sunday-school  and 
Colportage  Convention  was  held  at  Brenham,  where  the 
board  was  located,  and  the  utmost  that  could  be  reported 
was  that  Dr.  H.  L.  Graves,  who  had  served  as  agent  a  part 
of  his  time,  reported  that  some  Sunday-schools  had  been 
organized  and  some  books  sold  from  the  depository.  Still 
there  were  many  Sunday-schools  flourishing  in  different 
parts  of  the  state,  and  in  most  of  the  principal  churches.  It 
was  a  time  of  serious  reflection,  and  under-currents  were 
moving  in  the  direction  of  greater  things.  Brighter  and 
better  days  were  in  store  for  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  and 
while  there  were  but  few  visible  signs  of  progress,  it  was 
nearer  than  the  most  hopeful  could  dare  anticipate. 

There  were  stirrings  of  greater  things  in  the  State  Con- 
vention when  it  met,  in  1876,  at  Independence.  In  the  or- 
ganization W.  C.  Crane  was  made  president;  F.  M.  Law, 
H.  L.  Graves  and  Horace  Clarke,  vice-presidents ;  O,  H.  P. 
Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  F.  Kiefer,  corresponding 
secretary.  In  some  respects  the  same  barrenness  of  results 
was  apparent  that  was  seen  in  the  General  Association,  but 


238  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

the  outlook  was  anything  but  discouraghig.  The  signs  on 
the  horizon  gave  enlarged  hopes  and  prospects  of  future 
results.  After  long-continued  effort  on  the  part  of  J.  W.  D. 
Creath  to  build  a  suitable  house  of  worship  in  San  Antonio, 
his  hopes  were  about  to  be  realized.  The  efforts  which  he 
had  made  for  several  years  past  were  without  any  special 
connection  with  the  convention,  but  now  that  an  atmosphere 
of  hopefulness  hung  over  that  Catholic  town,  and  now 
that  the  work  had  assumed  such  proportions,  the  convention 
was  willing  to  adopt  it  "as  one  of  its  special  fields  for  mis- 
sion work."  This  indefatigable  work  on  the  part  of  Creath 
led  still  further,  and  suggested  to  the  convention  anew  the 
duty  of  seeking  to  save  the  gathering  thousands  of  Mex- 
icans within  the  borders  of  Texas.  Beyond  that  yet,  the 
suggestion  ran,  and  it  was  proposed,  that  as  soon  as  prac- 
ticable the  Baptists  of  Texas  would  take  up  a  mission  enter- 
prise in  Mexico.  Besides  all  this  there  was,  among  the  ini- 
tial suggestions  of  greater  things,  that  of  more  earnest 
effort  in  behalf  of  the  German  population,  which  was  gath- 
ering in  many  of  the  growing  centers  of  the  state.  Rev. 
F.  J.  Gleiss,  the  German  Baptist  missionary,  had  rendered 
some  valuable  service  among  his  people,  but  what  was 
needed  was  an  organized  effort. 

There  was  an  evident  uneasiness  and  a  restlessness  on 
the  part  of  the  convention  lest  it  was  letting  slip  the  oppor- 
tunities which  God  was  bringing  within  reach.  The  mighty 
displays  of  His  grace  moved  their  consciences  and  quickened 
their  energies.  Evidently  there  was  a  reawakening,  and 
men  were  growing  seriously  dissatisfied  with  conditions  as 
they  were.  Fountain  sources  were  being  sprung,  and  the}' 
were  destined  to  carry  a  fructifying  influence  through  the 
vears  to  come. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

BRIGHTER   AND   BETTER   DAYS. 

The  ups  and  downs  of  Texas  Baptists  for  the  last  dozen 
years,  since  the  close  of  hostilities  between  the  states,  were 
not  due  to  a  contentious  spirit,  which  would  indicate  a 
fondness  for  strife,  for  all  alike  deplored  the  situation,  but 
it  was  due  to  an  intense  desire,  to  settle  on  a  permanent 
l)asis,  the  interests  of  the  denomination  which  all  alike  cher- 
ished. The  spirit  of  assertion  between  factions  had  within 
themselves  a  goodly  purpose.  That  it  could  have  been 
otherwise,  in  view  of  the  intensity  of  the  loyalty  of  leading- 
Baptists  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  best  possible,  seems 
impossible.  That  difference  of  opinion,  in  the  ardent  ad- 
vocacy of  methods,  might  have  found,  at  times,  calmer 
expression,  is  granted  even  by  those  who  in  review  of  the 
stir  of  events,  when  passion  takes  color  from  surroundings, 
readily  admit;  but  earnest  men  give  emphatic  expression  to 
their  views,  and  in  the  surge  of  effort,  they  are  least  pre- 
pared to  brook  opposition.  It  is  evidently  the  purpose  of 
God,  in  the  varied  and  profound  changes  wrought  by  grace, 
never  to  change  one's  temperament.  That  is  one  element 
of  nature  that  is  never  changed.  An  ardent  man  remains 
one  to  the  end— a  phlegmatic  spirit  never  changes. 

The  year  1877  opened  auspiciously  to  the  people  of 
Texas.  In  political  history  it  marks  the  end  of  reconstruc- 
tion in  the  South.  The  war  was  ended  after  twelve  years 
following  the  capitulation  at  Appomattox,  Henceforth  the 
people  of  the  South  were  to  be  left  to  adjust  themselves  to 
the  chaotic  conditions  into  which  they  had  been  brought  as 
a  result  of  the  Civil  War.  The  removal  of  armed  troops 
from  the  South  by  President  Hayes,  marks  the  turning- 
point  in  the  history  of  this  section. 

Not  to  be  perverted  by  the  political  situation,  we  return 

2H9 


BRIGHTEE  AND  BETTER  DAYS         341 

to  the  current  of  denominatidnal  affairs  in  Texas.  It  is 
true  that  the  irritation  of  contentii)n  was  still  fresh  in  cer- 
tain quarters,  and  sporadic  symptoms  were  destined  still 
to  show  themselves,  as  we  shall  see,  yet  like  the  careering 
herd  of  the  plain,  where  everything  seems  confusion,  all 
head  the  same  way. 

Changes  came  for  the  better  in  1877.  still  they  were  not 
such  as  to  give  assurance  of  a  sudden  settlement  of  divi- 
sions— they  only  gave  greater  promise  of  things  yet  to 
come.  That  the  current  was  swinging  toward  unification 
was  evident,  but  it  sometimes  took  a  circuitous  turn.  The 
educational  question  was  still  in  the  front  of  denominational 
thought,  but  that  which  was,  at  one  time,  so  full  of  prom- 
ise, had  failed  of  realization,  and  not  a  few  lost  heart. 
Opposition  assumed  one  form  or  another,  and  the  progress 
gradually  waned,  only  to  take  new  form  for  the  future. 
Meanwhile  new  plans  on  a  broader  basis  were  being  laid, 
but  they  were  such  as  would  require  time  for  development. 

The  year  1877  was  the  seed-time  of  a  new  era  to  the 
Baptist  cause  in  Texas.  Much  had  to  be  overcome,  the 
earth  had  to  be  broken  up  afresh,  new  harvests  had  to  be 
projected,  but  time  and  labor  were  necessary  to  prepare  for 
the  reaping.  Men  and  women  had  grown  tired  of  strife, 
and  their  eyes  w'ere  being  turned  to  the  better  things  of  the 
future.  Hope  came  again  amidst  the  dust  of  battle,  and  God 
would  yet  direct  his  people  to  greater  things.  That  the 
revivals  which  had  swept  the  state  had  softened  asperities 
and  dispelled  many  differences,  was  evident.  This  perhaps, 
more  than  all  things  else,  brought  the  rift  in  the  smoke  of 
battle.  Nothing  is  truer  than  the  famous  saying  of  John 
Lothrop  Motley :  "Religion  on  all  great  historical  occa- 
sions has  been  the  dissolvent  of  difificulties." 

At  this  period  progress  was  astir  in  the  state.  From 
every  quarter  of  the  globe  thousands  were  finding  homes 
in  Texas,  and  among  those  who  came  w^ere  many  Baptists. 
But  most  of  the  immigrants  came  seeking  financial  advan- 
tage. Vast  domains  were  being  peopled,  and  towns  and 
cities  were  growing  at  a  rapid  rate.  New  lines  of  railway 
w^ere  reaching  out  toward  all  points  of  the  compass,  and 
no  one  could  predict  the  ultimate  possibilities  of  the  state. 


242  IIISTOEY    OF    TEXAS   BAPTISTS 

Never  was  a  duty  more  urgent  than  was  that  imposed  on 
the  Baptists  at  this  time  to  greet  the  incoming  tides  of  the 
people  with  a  pure  gospel.  New  men  fresh  from  achieve- 
ment in  other  fields,  were  coming  to  the  Baptist  pulpits 
of  Texas,  where  a  sphere  sufficiently  broad  for  the  rarest 
gifts  and  the  exercise  of  the  best  energy  might  find  amplest 
opportunity.  It  was  the  year  for  the  beginning  of  great 
things  by  Texas  Baptists. 

Among  those  who  came  about  this  time  was  Rev.  C.  C. 
Chaplin,  who  in  the  beginning  of  this  year  assumed  charge 
of  the  First  Church,  at  Austin.  Born  in  Danville,  Virginia, 
and  educated  at  Richmond  College,  he  had  held  pastorates 
at  Danville,  in  his  native  state,  where  he  was  chiefly  instru- 
mental in  establishing  a  college  for  girls  and  young  women, 
and  at  Owensboro  and  Paducah,  Kentucky.  A  man  of 
resistless  energy  and  of  great  heart,  of  strong  pulpit  ability, 
and  of  administrative  qualities  in  pastoral  work.  Doctor 
Chaplin's  advent  to  Texas  was  hailed  with  a  cordiality  of 
welcome.  His  influence  permeated  every  interest  of  the 
denomination  in  his  adopted  state,  and  the  impress  of  his 
ability  was  on  all. 

The  Sunday-school  work  of  the  state  which  at  one  time 
had  assumed  such  commanding  importance,  had  declined, 
as  has  already  been  shown,  because  of  the  pressure  of  the 
claims  of  other  denominational  interests.  In  order  to  a 
revival  of  the  suspended  interest  in  this  important  branch 
of  church  work,  a  convention  was  called  to  meet  at  Ander- 
son. Through  the  efforts  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Keep,  the  pastor 
at  Anderson,  and  his  efficient  Sunday-school  superintendent, 
Deacon  W.  R.  Howell,  the  gathering  at  Anderson  was  a 
conspicuous  one.  Many  of  the  most  prominent  pastors  of 
the  state  were  present,  together  with  a  number  of  eminent 
visitors,  among  whom  was  Doctor  S.  H.  Ford,  of  St.  Louis. 
An  elaborate  programme  of  practical  subjects  was  dis- 
cussed, in  which  participated  such  spirits  as  J.  B.  Link, 
W.  C.  Crane,  S.  H.  Ford,  J.  M.  Carroll,  George  W.  Baines, 
William  Royall,  Rufus  Figh  and  M.  V.  Smith.  There  was 
earnestness  and  determination  in  the  host,  and  the  meeting 
proved  the  best  in  the  interest  of  Sunday-schools  that  had 
ever  been  held  in  Texas.     During  the  year  Rev.  W.  D. 


BRIGHTER    AND    BETTER    DAYS  243 

Powell  was  engaged  as  the  missionary  secretary  of  the 
Sunday-school  convention. 

The  results  of  the  general  work  in  the  state  were  not  so 
marked  as  were  the  indications  of  better  times.  The  annual 
session  of  the  General  Association  was  held  at  Paris,  in 
1877.  Texas  had  now  become  easy  of  accessibility  from 
other  quarters  of  the  country,  and  a  number  of  visitors  were 
present  at  this  meeting,  among  whom  were  M.  T.  Sumner, 
of  Alabama;  S.  H.  Ford,  G.  W.  Smith,  and  W.  S.  Huff,  of 
Missouri ;  F.  C.  Johnson,  of  Georgia,  and  A.  J.  Holt,  of  the 
Indian  Territory.  Senator  Maxey  was  present,  and  fol- 
lowed a  report  on  colored  population,  submitted  by  Doctor 
B.  H.  Carroll,  in  a  speech  on  our  duty  to  evangelize  the 
negro.  Doctor  F.  M.  Law  was  heard  on  the  claims  of  the 
Education  Commission,  but^  as  has  been  said,  interest  in 
the  Commission  had  declined  after  the  failure  to  produce 
expected  results  during  the  preceding  year.  As  a  result  of 
the  work  on  the  field  of  the  General  Association,  during  the 
year,  not.  more  than  $302.65  was  collected.  Decided  inter- 
est was  shown  in  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Semi- 
nary, at  Louisville,  by  giving  to  Doctor  Sumner,  who  rep- 
resented the  seminary,  pledges  amounting  to  one  thousand 
dollars. 

There  were  decided  indications  of  progress  in  the  state 
convention  which  met  at  Bryan  on  October  6,  1877.  The 
spirit  of  the  meeting  was  excellent,  and  there  were  gratify- 
ing signs  of  an  appreciation  of  a  broader  field  of  exercise. 
The  income  of  population  and  the  increased  facilities  for 
mission  work  were  facts  which  appealed  most  earnestly  to 
the  body.  The  claim  of  state  missions  found  expression  in 
able  addresses  from  such  men  as  Link,  Pickett  and  Breed- 
love,  after  which  a  collection  was  taken  in  cash  and  pledges, 
amounting  to  $1,416.75.  Conditions  were  improving,  and 
men  felt  the  thrill  of  encouragement.  The  cause  at  San 
Antonio  was  still  a  hiatter  of  profound  interest.  Rev. 
W.  H.  Dodson,  who  had  been  called  there  as  pastor,  asked 
for  $1,800  with  which  to  complete  the  house  of  worship  in 
that  city.  The  question  of  German  evangelization  in  Texas 
was  revived,  and  Revs.  Gleiss  and  Keifer  were  appointed 
to  labor  among  these  foreigners.     Before  the  close  of  the 


244  HI8T0HV    UF    TKXA8    BAPTISTS 

session  $7,500  was  raised  for  various  objects,  and  this  was 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  favorable  signs  of  the  times. 

It  was  in  December  of  1877,  that  Doctor  R.  C.  Buckner 
first  conceived  the  idea  of  founding  a  home  for  orphan 
children,  irrespective  of  denomination,  or  of  any  other  con- 
sideration, save  that  of  orphanage.  As  the  editor  of  The 
Texas  Baptist  Doctor  I'Juckner  had  written  a  series  of  open 
letters  in  his  paper  relative  to  the  proposed  enterprise,  and 
these  letters  led  to  a  convention  of  deacons  at  Paris,  July 
17,  1878.  Here  Doctor  Buckner  had  served  as  pastor  for 
al30ut  fourteen  years,  and  hither  where  he  was  best  known, 
he  went  to  lay  the  contemplated  enterprise  on  the  hearts  of 
the  men  who  had  stood  by  in  other  enterprises. 

The  publication  by  Doctor  Buckner  of  the  contemplated 
venture  evoked  not  a  few  dire  predictions  of  failure. 
Friends  imixjrtinied  him  to  desist  from  an  undertaking  so 
hazardous,  among  whom  was  a  United  States  senator,  all 
of  whom  were  solicitous  about  an  enterprise  which  carried 
with  it  predictions  of  failure,  because  it  was  violative  of  all 
principles  of  business.  But  the  founder  had  counted  the 
cost,  the' conception  of  the  enterprise  was  in  his  great  heart, 
and  .staying  himself  on  God,  he  persisted.  It  was  soon  evi- 
dent that  the  proposed  orphanage  was  not  to  be  without  a 
home,  for  an  offer  came  from  Tarrant  county,  of  a  bonus 
of  1,200  acres  of  land,  another,  from  another  quarter,  of 
300  acres,  while  an  offer  of  Si. 000  cash  came  from  eastern 
Texas.  JiJut  on  account  of  criticism  the  first  was  with- 
drawn, and  the  second  was  paralyzed  by  certain  opposition. 

While  the  matter  of  selecting  a  permanent  location  was 
pending,  temporary  quarters  were  rented  in  the  city  of 
j^allas.  in  which  quarters  there  were  at  first  gathered  only 
three  orphans.  It  was  not  until  September  25.  1880.  that 
a  permanent  site  was  bought  for  the  orphanage,  which  site 
is  about  four  miles  of  the  city  limits  of  Dallas,  on  the  Texas 
&  Pacific  Railway.  Two  days  later,  September  2y,  1880, 
the  Orphanage  was  dedicated  in  a  small  one  room  house, 
built  in  the  early  days  of  1841,  of  logs  of  cedar,  by  John 
Neely  Bryant.  It  was  the  first  house  built  within  a  radius 
of  one  hundred  miles  of  the  present  city  of  Dallas.  For  a 
time  it  served  as  the  first  postoftice  building  of  Dallas,  and 


BRIGHTER  AND  BETTER  DAYS         245 

was  finall}-  removed  to  the  point  where  it  was  purchased  to 
serve  for  the  initial  stages  of  the  Orphanage.  Feeble  in  its 
inception,  and  clouded  by  predictions  of  speedy  disaster, 
the  Buckner  Orphans'  Home  was  destined  to  become  one 
of  the  chiefest  and  most  cherished  interests  of  Texas  Bap- 
tists, and  one  of  the  largest  of  the  benevolent  institutions 
of  the  whole  land.  With  its  spacious  grounds  and  its 
imposing  edifices  crowning  an  eminence  which  overlooks 
the  great  and  growing  cit}'  of  Dallas,  it  stands  today  a 
monument  of  the  faith  of  its  philanthropic  founder  and 
superintendent  of  many  years. 

But  to  return  to  the  drift  of  denominational  history,  the 
failure  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas  to  concentrate  their  ener- 
gies, together  with  the  continued  controversy  between  the 
two  papers,  the  divided  sentiments  on  the  educational  ques- 
tion, and  other  minor  differences,  were  having  a  disintegrat- 
ing influence  on  the  cause.  Demands  came  from  many 
quarters  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  yet  it  seemed 
that  there  was  lacking  just  that  eilticiency  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  forces  which  was  necessary  to  respond  to  these 
opportunities.  Discontent  and  restlessness  were  the  result, 
and  on  December  12,  1877,  a  movement  of  disintegration 
took  place  at  Overton,  where  a  convention  of  Baptists  met 
to  consider  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  permanent  organ- 
ization for  mission  work  in  eastern  Texas.  Messengers 
from  nineteen  churches  assembled  at  this  initial  organiza- 
tion. The  basis  of  organization  was  founded  on  the  idea 
of  local  necessity,  and  stated  in  the  following : 

"The  strength  and  power  of  the  two  great  missionary 
organizations  in  the  state  are  directed  to  the  supply  and 
cultivation  of  other  territory,  and  there  exists  the  same 
necessity  for  the  organization  of  the  third  body,  as  there 
ever  was  for  a  second." 

Then  came  the  following  resolutions  : 

"Resolved,  That  as  the  result  of  painful  experience  in 
the  past,  we  now  regard  it  as  an  inevitable  necessity  for  us 
to  do  our  own  w^ork,  in  the  best  way  we  can,  if  we  are  ever 
to  meet  our  obligations  to  Christ  and  our  fellow  men. 

"Resolved,  That  we  do  now  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  de- 


246 


HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


pending  on  liini   fur  help,  proceed   to  organize  a  general 
missionary  body  for  eastern  Texas." 

All  this  was  followed  by  the  adoption  of  a  constitntion, 
which  defined  the  object  of  the  convention  to  be,  "to  encour- 
age and  foster  the  missionary  spirit  in  our  churches,  and  to 


UEV.  E.  E.  KING,  TASTOR  FIRST  CHURCH,  McKINXEY,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Miss.,  Sept.  4,  1850  ;  was  left  an  orphan  at  7  :  A.  B.  of  Miss. 
Col.  ;  attended  S.  B.  T.  Seminary  while  it  was  at  Greenville,  S.  C. ;  con- 
verted at  13  ;  joined  the  Methodists  ;  after  two  years  of  prayer  and  Bible 
study,  joined  Baptist  church,  Brownsville,  Miss. ;  began  preaching  at 
18;  was  ordained,  Aug.,  1873;  filled  important  pastorates  in  Miss.;  was 
married  May  8,  1877,  to  Miss  Gussie  Frink  :  came  to  Texas  as  pastor  of 
San  Antonio  First  church,  Mar.  1,  ISOO,  where  he  labored  seven  years, 
receiving  700  members  and  organizing  South  Side,  Prospect  Hill  and 
Calvary  mission  churches;  has  been  pastor  at  McKinney  since  .Ian.  1, 
1897  ;  is  Mod.  Collin  Co.  Assn.  :  has  received  853  members  at  McKinney, 
built  pastor's  home  and  $25,000  house  of  worship ;  member  Board  of 
B.  G.  C.  of  Tex.  ;  Trustee  S.  B.  T.  S.,  Baylor  College  and  Westminster 
Institute;    D.   D.   of  Baylor  I'niv..    ISDO.) 


develop   the   power   and    resources   of   this   section   of   the 
state." 

Doctor  Andrew  E.  Clemmons  was  chosen  the  president 
of  the  new  organization  and  Rev.  W.  O.  Bailey,  its  corre- 
sponding secretary.  With  what  success  this  new  venture 
was  enabled  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  urgent  necessities 


BRIGHTER  AND  BETTER  DAYS         247 

prevailing-  in  eastern  Texas  we  shall  have  opportunity  to 
see  later. 

It  was  during  the  year  1877,  that  that  now  influential 
organization  known  as  the  Baptist  Pastors'  Conference, 
held  in  connection  with  the  state  convention,  came  into 
heing,  at  the  Bryan  session  of  that  body.  This  Confer- 
ence has  continued  a  power,  with  varying  stages,  from  that 
time  to  this. 

When  the  year  1878  came  the  Baptists  of  Texas  seemed 
further  from  unity  than  ever.  Instead  of  two  general  or- 
ganizations of  the  year  before,  there  were  now  three.  Con- 
centration of  interest  was  now  seemingly  more  remote  than 
at  any  time  in  the  history  of  the  denomination  in  the  state. 
Where  would  be  the  point  of  convergence,  no  one  could 
now  even  remotely  predict.  Meanwhile  each  of  the  three 
separate  organizations  was  moving  along  its  own  prescribed 
course.  The  first  event  of  importance  occurring  in  the 
year  1878,  was  the  meeting  of  the  Sunday-school  and  Col- 
portage  Convention,  at  Calvert,  on  July  12.  The  meeting 
of  the  preceding  year,  at  Anderson,  had  been  attended  by 
results  so  encouraging  that  hope  was  freshly  turned  toward 
the  Calvert  convention.  An  elaborate  programme  had  been 
prepared  and  it  was  ably  discussed.  The  interest  of  the 
meeting  centered,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  thrilling  report 
of  the  missionary  of  the  body,  Rev.  W.  D.  Powell,  who 
had  visited  almost  every  Baptist  church  in  about  twenty 
counties,  and  had  found  great  destitution  in  some  places, 
and  lack  of  efficiency  in  others.  He  had  organized  seventy 
Sunday-schools  and  eight  Sunday-school  conventions.  The 
report  aroused  much  enthusiasm  and  Mr.  Powell  was  con- 
tinued in  the  field. 

Shortly  after  the  meeting  of  the  Sunday-school  Con- 
vention came  the  meeting  of  its  eleventh  annual  session  of 
the  General  Association,  at  Fort  Worth.  The  work  of  the 
body  had  been  more  satisfactory  during  the  past  year,  than 
it  had  been  for  a  number  of  years  past.  While  little  was 
being  done  in  Bible  and  colportage  work,  the  board  repre- 
senting these  interests,  known  as  the  Bible,  Colportage  and 
Education  Board,  was  able  to  report  the  completion  of  the 
boarding  hall  for  students,  at  Waco.     Four  or  five  mission- 


248  IllS'l'oin'    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

aries  had  Ijccn  cnipldyed,  (hirinj^  the  year,  and  the  results 
of  their  work  were  i^ratifving-.  Six  churches  had  been 
constituted,  five  Sunday-schools  organized,  eighty-five  had 
been  baptized,  and  there  had  been  collected  on  the  field 
$1,039.85.  Rev.  A.  J-  Holt  had  been  laboring  among  the 
wild  Indian  tribes,  he  being  the  first  w^iite  man  sent  among 
the  wild  Indians.  Holt  was  a  typical  missionary,  and 
adopted  the  Indian  garb  and  the  customs  of  the  wild  men, 
hunted  and  fished  with  them,  and  thus  won  his  way  to  their 
hearts.  Previous  to  the  appointment  of  Holt,  John  Mcin- 
tosh, an  Indian,  was  the  Association's  missionary  to  these 
people.  While  laboring  among  them,  Mcintosh  taught 
them  the  Lord's  prayer,  which  he  wrote  out  in  their  own 
language.  A  copy  of  this  prayer  in  the  Comanche  tongue 
was  sent  to  Dr.  Buckner,  editor  of  The  Texas  Baptist,  and 
his  son-in-law,  John  L.  Goode,  by  the  use  of  his  pocket- 
knife  so  changed  the  metal  type  as  to  give  the  requisite 
prcMiunciation  to  the  peculiar  language  for  the  use  of  Eng- 
lish readers,  and  the  prayer  was  thus  published  in  The 
Texas  Baptist. 

The  Texas  Baptists  had  reached  a  period  when  there  was 
a  dead  level  of  uniformity  in  the  recurrence  of  general  meet- 
ings, the  election  of  officers,  and  the  stated  order  of  reports. 
There  w'as  no  boldness  of  plan,  no  projection  of  enterprise, 
nothing  beyond  the  routine  of  a  stated  meeting.  Apathy 
seems  to  have  fallen  as  a  blight  on  the  churches,  and  they 
seemed  content  to  plod  along  a  formal  course  with  an  indif- 
ference that  was  appalling.  The  proceedings  of  a  meeting- 
could  have  been  easily  forecast,  and  many  became  indiffer- 
ent thereto.  The  State  Convention  for  1878  was  held  with 
the  church  at  Lagrange.  \V.  C.  Crane  was  elected  presi- 
dent; F.  M.  Law,  H.  L.  Graves  and  Pinckney  Harris,  vice 
presidents ;  Pinckney  Hawkins,  corresponding  secretary, 
and  G.  B.  Davis,  treasurer.  The  meeting  was  without  inter- 
est, save  that  of  preserving  intact  existing  institutions.  Rev. 
J.  W.  D.  Creath,  who  had  previously  resigned  from  the 
financial  secretaryship  of  the  Convention,  was  now  again 
serving  in  that  capacity.  The  receipts  for  the  year  amounted 
to  $2,447.50.  Pledges  for  the  continued  prosecution  of  the 
work  were  given  to  the  amount  of  $1,824.     The  announce- 


BRIGHTEE    AND    BETTER    DAYS  24!) 

nient  was  made  at  this  session  of  the  retirement  of  Doctor 
Royall  from  the  presidency  of  the  school  for  girls  at  Inde- 
pendence, and  of  the  choice  of  Doctor  J.  H.  Luther  to  suc- 
ceed him.  •  Each  of  the  general  bodies  was  prosecuting  its 
own  work  with  no  defined  limits  of  territory,  and  with  no 
special  fraternal  regard  for  each  other,  while  the  rival 
papers  were  constantly  colliding  in  sentiment.  The  work 
which  was  being  done  was  executed  at  great  disadvantage 
and  in  the  midst  of  not  a  little  confusion.  Friction  and 
complications  were  frequent,  and  through  the  tangled  vista 
there  was  not  a  ray  of  relief.  To  add  to  the  confusion  there 
was  local  division  even  wathin  the  territory  of  the  respective 
general  bodies  themselves.  TJic  Baptist  Herald  was  stoutly 
opposed  in  its  educational  policy  by  Baylor  University  at 
Independence,  and  the  result  was  deadening  to  most  other 
interests.  AMiat  a  power  the  Baptists  might  have  been,  could 
their  forces  have  been  allied  at  this  time !  But  the  set  time 
for  union  had  not  yet  come.  In  the  General  Association, 
conditions  were  scarcely  better.  There  was  a  strong  under- 
current of  dissatisfaction  due  largely  to  the  stern  advocacy 
by  Doctor  Burleson  of  his  educational  views.  By  some  he 
was  regarded  as  more  than  partisan,  and  as  being  positively 
arbitrary. 

Indeed  there  was  a  general  ferment  throughout  the  state. 
This  was  about  the  only  sign  of  activity  to  be  found.  Men 
clung  sullenly  to  their  views,  localities  were  vehement  in 
the  assertion  of  their  respective  claims,  and  none  of  the  dis- 
agreement was  tempered  by  gentleness. 

Still  another  year  came  without  any  material  change  in 
the  situation.  Appointed  events  went  on  as  before,  the 
usual  meetings  were  held,  the  ordinary  process  was  adopted, 
and  but  little  was  done.  Early  in  July,  1879,  the  Sunday- 
school  and  Colportage  Convention  held  its  annual  session 
at  Luling.  This  convention  had  come  to  be  the  most  vital 
organization  among  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  The  report  of 
the  missionary,  W.  D.  Powell,  showed  remarkable  activity. 
Ninety-five  Sunday-schools  had  been  organized  during  the 
year  within  the  confines  of  twelve  associations.  He  re- 
ported immense  destitution  in  every  part  of  the  state  which 
he  had  visited.     The   Sunday-school  and  Colportage  Con- 


250  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

ventioii  was  well  manned  with  Deacon  W.  R.  Howell, 
reputed  the  best  superintendent  in  the  state,  the  president 
of  the  body,  J.  M.  Carroll,  the  corresponding  secretary,  and 
W.  D.  Powell,  the  field  missionary.  The  unusual  attend- 
ance on  this  meeting-,  and  the  enthusiasm  aroused,  quick- 
ened the  interest  in  the  cause  throughout  the  state. 

Following  the  meetings  of  both  the  bodies  just  named, 
came  that  of  the  twelfth  session  of  the  General  Association 
which  was  held  at  Pittsburg,  on  July  25.  Two  missionaries, 
A.  J.  Holt  and  J.  L.  Simpson,  submitted  their  reports,  and 
they  each  bewailed  the  scantiness  of  the  results  of  a  year's 
hard  labor.  The  session  was  enlivened  by  a  source  of  fresh 
disturbance  emanating  from  a  provisional  meeting  which 
had  been  previously  held  at  Piano.  A  document  was  borne 
to  the  session  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Curry,  pastor  of  the  First 
Church  of  Dallas,  which  set  forth  certain  grievances  against 
the  General  Association,  chief  among  which  were  the  undue 
domination  of  the  body  b}-  the  two  agencies,  Waco  Uni- 
versity and  The  Texas  Baptist.  The  paper  was  respect- 
fully received,  its  complaints  briefly  discussed,  and  it  passed 
into  oblivion.  For  the  first  time,  at  this  session,  The  Texas 
Baptist  was  formally  recognized  as  the  organ  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. The  new  organization,  the  East  Texas  Convention, 
seemed  to  be  the  most  active  of  the  three  existing  bodies. 
Born  of  an  evangelistic  spirit,  it  had  placed  four  or  five 
active  missionaries  in  the  field,  as  was  reported  at  its  second 
session  held  this  year  at  Henderson.  The  State  Convention 
which  met  on  October  4th,  at  Independence,  was  devoid  of 
interest.  The  officers  of  the  preceding  year  were  chosen  by 
acclamation,  but  the  same  dearth  of  results  was  reported. 
Life  seemed  to  have  gone  from  the  body,  and  the  splendid 
plans  of  a  few  years  before  had  gone  to  pieces.  The  rage 
of  controversy  had  marred  every  interest. 

Early  in  the  year  1880  the  discord  which  had  been  ram- 
pant so  long  in  the  state  assumed  a  most  regrettable  phase 
at  Dallas.  Two  years  before,  those  interested  in  the  work 
of  education  with  Doctor  Law,  deemed  it  wise  that  Doctor 
J,  B,  Link  remove  to  Dallas  in  order  to  assist  the  general 
agent  in  his  work  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state.  Mean- 
while half  interest  in  The  Texas  Baptist  Herald  had  been 


BEIGHTEE    AND    BETTEE    DAYS  251 

sold  to  Rev.  Jonas  Johnson,  while  Rev.  O.  C.  Pope  was 
induced  to  remove  from  Tennessee  to  Texas  to  become  the 
local  and  joint  editor  of  the  paper.  While  the  paper  bore 
the  imprint  of  Dallas  and  Austin,  it  seems  that  it  was  still 
being  published  at  Houston.  The  removal  of  Doctor  Link 
to  Dallas,  within  the  confines  of  the  General  Association, 
aroused  some  grave  suspicion  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
leaders  of  the  General  Association,  and  to  them  seemed  to 
bode  no  good.  He  was  watched  in  his  proceedings,  but 
opposition  to  his  removal  found  no  outspoken  expression 
until  he  became  a  member  of  the  First  Church  of  Dallas. 
There  were  but  few  present  on  the  night  of  the  midweek 
prayer-meeting  when  he  offered  himself  for  membership 
with  the  church.  No  objection  was  at  the  time  urged 
against  his  action,  but  afterward  objection  found  expression 
in  a  letter  addressed  to  the  church,  and  signed  by  a  large 
number  of  members,  perhaps  fifty  or  more,  requesting  that 
the  action  whereby  Doctor  Link  was  received  into  the  First 
Church  be  rescinded.  This  the  church  declined  to  do,  and 
the  matter  became  a  source  of  much  disturbance,  which 
extended  through  two  years. 

Failing  to  have  accorded  to  it  the  consideration  which  the 
protesting  party  felt  was  due  it,  the  aggrieved  members 
prepared  a  memorial  to  the  First  Church,  in  which  memorial 
was  set  forth  the  objections  to  the  retention  of  Doctor  Link 
as  a  member  of  the  church.  Those  who  signed  the  memorial 
alleged  that  they  were  really  the  First  Church  of  Dallas 
rather  than  those  who  had  received  Doctor  Link,  and  de- 
clared a  disfellowship  with  those  who  had  assumed  to 
receive  him.  The  matter  was  one  of  serious  gravity, 
because  Doctor  R.  C.  Buckner  was  among  those  who  pro- 
tested, and  was  frank  in  his  declaration  that  for  several 
reasons  he  could  not  fellowship  Doctor  Link.  Efforts  at 
reconciliation  were  of  no  avail.  A  crisis  was  reached  on 
January  7,  1880,  when  they  withdrew  fellowship  from  those 
who  had  declared  fellowship  for  the  church.  Doctor  Buck- 
ner and  the  others  retired  to  another  part  of  the  city,  estab- 
lished another  organization,  called  Rev.  S.  A.  Hay  den  to  be 
pastor,  and  proceeded  as  before,  in  the  observance  of  stated 
worship  as  an  independent  church. 


^5- 


niSToKV    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


lUil  there  were  other  sides  to  tlie  f|ueslion  which  gave  it 
increased  gravity.  Doctor  lUickner  was  one  of  the  officers 
of  the  General  Association  and  the  editor  of  its  organ. 
'Hiose  who  exchided  him  and  others  from  the  First  Church 
did  not  recognize  him  as  a  memlier  of  the  church,  and  the 
churcli    itself   was   a    nieniher   of   the    ( jeneral    Association. 


l:i;\'.    W.    K.    I'ENROD.    I'ASTolt.    CI.KMl  itxi:.    Ti:XA8. 

{ Koru  Mar.  17,  18.">8.  at  Penrod,  Ky.  :  attended  school  In  country  and 
at  Lewisburg,  Ky. ;  taught  school  in  Kentucky  and  Texas ;  married  in 
JSSl  to  Mi.ss  Francos  Acock;  has  three  children:  converted  at  14;  joined 
church  at  B;iui;li  Sta..  Ky..  Xov.  1876  ;  ordained  at  Dalton  church,  K.v., 
May,  1880  :  pn-achcd  two  years  to  country  churches  ;  attended  S.  K.  T.  S., 
1889-90:  pastor  at  Cloverport  and  Hawesville.  Ky..  during  that  time; 
came  to  Pine  Hluff.  Ark.,  as  pastor  Sept.,  1890.  where  he  remained  six 
years;  church  pr(jsp('red  greatly  under  his  ministry:  pastor  at  Paducah. 
Ky.,  Sept..  189(i.  to  .Tan..  T.tOU ;  came  to  Ennis.  Texas,  1900,  where  he 
remained  till  May.  lOii.j.  then  goiug  to  Cleburne.  Tex.,  where  he  is  now 
OHstor  of  the  I'irst  Church  ;  during  the  two  yesirs'  time,  400  members  have 
been  added,  i 


The  complications  of  the  situation  hecame  seriously  embar- 
rassing. The  whole  community  was  stirred,  and  the  dis- 
turbance became  a  matter  of  common  comment.  That  the 
knotty  situation  might  be  unraveled,  a  meeting  of  the  Gen- 
eral Association  was  called  in  special  session.    The  novelty 


BRIGHTEE    AND    BETTER    DAYS  253 

of  the  occasion  and  of  the  cause  drew  together  a  large  at- 
tendance. The  meeting  was  held  in  Dallas,  and  as  the 
messengers  arrived  on  the  ground  partisan  sentiment  ran 
higher.  As  the  president  of  the  preceding  session  of  the 
body,  Doctor  Burleson  ruled  that  all  who  were  members 
of  that  body  would  be  recognized  as  members  of  the  pres- 
ent session.  The  assembly  became  a  battle-ground  from 
the  outset.  Every  step  was  closely  watched  by  each  side, 
and  every  position  taken  was  resisted.  The  ruling  of  the 
chair  was  frequently  called  in  question  and  other  phases  of 
disorder  prevailed.  Able  disputants  confronted  each  other 
on  either  side,  and  the  discussion  was  gone  into  with  fervor. 
After  prolonged  discussion  the  majority  of  the  members 
voted  that  the  disturbance  was  one  of  a  personal  nature, 
and  must  be  settled  l)y  the  churches  involved,  that  Doctor 
Buckner  was  a  member  of  a  regular  Baptist  church,  and 
that  therefore  that  he  and  all  others  associated  with  him 
were  members  of  the  General  Association.  The  local  irrita- 
tion was  intensified  by  the  decision  of  the  general  body, 
and  each  of  the  divisions  asserted  itself  as  the  First  Church. 
Time,  which  softens  all  asperities  and  passions,  brought 
gradual  relief.  After  that  the  results  of  the  occasion  had 
spent  their  force,  a  reaction  began,  and  there  were  fortunate 
suggestions  of  a  reconciliation.  Still,  there  was  little  dis- 
position to  }'ield,  the  one  to  the  other.  What  was  needed 
was  a  sword  which  would  cut  the  Gordian  knot.  Rev.  R.  T. 
Hanks,  who  had  some  time  before  the  original  disturbance 
become  the  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  was  the  fortunate 
dissolvent  of  the  difficulties  of  the  situation.  In  the  spirit 
of  wise  conciliation,  he  frankly  said  from  his  own  pulpit 
that  one  was  as  much  the  First  Church  as  the  other.  This 
was  the  key  that  unlocked  the  door,  and  opened  the  way 
for  the  return  of  those  who  had  two  years  before  gone  out. 
Every  step  was  one  of  conciliation,  no  questions  being  asked, 
no  requirements  made,  but  a  fraternal  flowing  together  of 
those  who  had  been  so  long  separated.  By  the  combined 
action  of  the  two  todies.  Hanks  was  chosen  pastor,  the 
church  of  which  Hayden  was  pastor  became  extinct  by  this 
mutual  action,  and  things  went  on  as  before.  What  the 
action  which  resulted  in  the  choice  of  Hanks  to  the  exclu- 


254  IITSTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

^^      ' 

sion  of  Haydcn  had  to  do  with  much  .sul)sc(|ncnt  trouble  in 
the  Dallas  church  is  not  known,  but  there  are  those  who 
believe  that  this  action  on  the  part  of  the  church  was  the 
fountain  source  of  much  that  followed. 

On  the  part  of  the  combined  church  itself  no  evil  results 
followed.  No  irritation  lingered  to  hinder  the  local  work. 
The  differences  were  honest,  the  sentiments  expressed  sin- 
cere, and  when  the  hour  of  reconciliation  came,  the  differ- 
ences belonged  to  the  past.  No  subsequent  occasion  arose  to 
recall  the  painful  experiences  through  which  all  had  passed, 
and  save  the  possible  disturbances  between  S.  A.  Ilayden  and 
the  pastor  in  the  subsequent  publications  in  the  paper  of 
the  latter,  nothing  more  came  of  the  rupture.  The  triumph 
of  the  result  more  than  atoned  for  the  disruption.  There 
was  a  studious  care  afterward  to  avoid  friction,  and  men 
feared  it  as  they  did  fire.  This  triumphant  settlement,  hon- 
orable alike  to  all,  was  one  of  the  links  in  the  chain  which 
was  being  providentially  forged  for  binding  the  Baptist 
hosts  of  the  state  into  closer  bonds.  A  better  and  brighter 
day  was  dawning,  but  even  the  tints  of  its  advent  were  not 
yet  visible  to  the  eyes  of  the  colliding  hosts. 

As  w^e  turn  into  the  year  1880,  the  general  situation  was 
practically  unchanged,  but  invisible  agencies  were  at  work 
Ijeneatb  the  surface  storm  which  were  moving  toward  a 
goal  which  would  bring  ultimate  gladness  and  a  fresh  im- 
pulse to  action.  A  conflict  cannot  live  on  itself  alone.  It 
must  have  new  material  to  feed  on,  or  it  will  collapse. 
Already  good  men  were  tired  of  the  continued  contention, 
and  were  raising  the  question:  "Why  all  this?"  Leaders 
were  respected,  even  honored,  but  they  were  themselves 
exhausted  and  humiliated  by  the  continued  strife.  A  reac- 
tion was  already  setting  in,  though  the  struggle  was  destined 
to  continue  yet  for  a  period. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  THROES  EEFORE  DELRTiRANCE, 

The  five  years  which  followed  the  beginning  of  1880. 
witnessed  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  contest  which  had  been 
waged  with  shifting  results  for  about  ten  years.  The  oppos- 
ing sides  were  so  evenly  divided,  that  there  was  no  visible 
prospect  of  surrender  of  either,  and  as  for  compromise,  that 
was  impossible,  in  view  of  the  firm  and  energetic  men  ar- 
rayed against  each  other.  The  work  went  sluggishly  on 
under  the  sev-ered  organizations,  each  regarding  with  some 
suspicion  every  other.  An  equal  expenditure  of  opposition 
against  the  accumulating  forces  of  evil  in  Texas,  would,  at 
this  time,  have  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  the  general 
cause  of  Christianity ;  but  men,  churches,  communities,  and 
even  entire  sections,  were  taken  up  with  denominational  dis- 
agreements, and  the  sacred  work  lagged,  in  consequence. 

While  ostensibly  in  accord,  the  two  institutions,  the  one 
at  Independence,  and  the  other  at  Waco,  were  really  op- 
posed to  each  other,  and  the  insistence  of  the  claims  of  the 
merits  of  one,  was  an  occasion  of  discredit  by  the  other. 
Meanwhile  it  was  becoming  more  manifest,  as  time  went  by, 
that  the  interest  in  Baylor  University  was  waning,  as  the 
patronage  of  the  school  was  turning  elsewhere.  It  was 
equally  clear  that  Waco  was  becoming,  in  the  very  nature 
of  things,  the  educational  center  of  the  demonination  in  the 
state ;  while  the  struggling  institution,  known  as  Dallas 
College,  the  friends  of  which  had  at  one  time  hoped  that  it 
might  be  the  chosen  favorite  of  the  Education  Commission, 
if  the  central  idea  of  denominational  education  was  success- 
ful, was  really  on  its  last  legs.  The  principle  was  rapidly 
becoming  one  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest,  of  which  Waco 
University  was  the  apt  illustration.  There  was  pathetic 
pluck  in  the  manly  fight  which  President  Crane  was  making 

255 


256  IIISTOKV    OF    TKXAS    P.Al'TJSTS 

agaiiisl  tliL'  iiic\ilal)k'  al  I  iKkpciuk'iice-.  Init  lliu  dcjoin  of  the 
school  was  ah-cady  ct-rtain.  \\'ith  unc(>nqufra1)le  energy,  for 
which  he  was  noted,  President  Burleson  was  pushing  to 
higher  proficienc}-  the  I'niversity  at  Waco,  and,  in  conse- 
quence, was  drawing  toward  himself  a  growing  confidence 
on  the  part  of  the  pu])lic.  With  the  schools  thus  related  to 
the  general  public,  it  did  not  require  a  prophet  to  foresee  the 
result. 

Several  causes  conspired  at  this  time  to  justify  the  con- 
clusion just  expressed,  chief  among  which  perhaps  was  the 
fact  that  a  marked  advantage  was  in  favor  of  the  institution 
at  Waco  by  reason  of  the  support  which  it  enjoyed  of  the 
advocacy  of  a  strong  religious  journal,  while  Independence 
had  none.  The  Texas  Baptist,  to  be  sure,  was  no  more 
favorable  to  one  school  than  the  other,  but  the  immense 
advantages  enjo}  ed  by  Waco  over  Independence  in  so  many 
respects  enabled  it  to  derive  just  as  great  advantages  from 
the  friendship  of  the  journal,  as  though  it  were  its  special 
advocate.  On  the  other  hand,  the  attitude  of  the  Texas 
Baptist  Herald  was  such  that,  while  it  did  not  materially  aid 
the  school  at  \\'aco,  its  opposition  to  maintaining  either  spe- 
cially had  the  efifect  of  direct  opposition  to  the  institution 
at  Independence  at  a  time  when  it  most  needed  a  journal- 
istic advocate.  The  unsettled  condition  of  things  was  more 
conducive  to  Waco  University  than  to  any  other  interest 
fostered  by  the  denomination  in  the  state.  Under  prevailing- 
conditions  the  policy  advocated  by  neither  paper  was  entirely 
practicable.  The  severed  denomination  could  never  be 
brought  to  see  the  policy  of  abolishing  both  schools  out- 
right in  order  to  adopt  a  third,  nor  was  the  denomination 
content  to  maintain  both  institutions.  When  it  should  come 
to  a  choice  between  the  two,  and  when  the  denomination  was 
brought  face  to  face  with  this  proposition,  it  was  easy  to 
see  what  the  conclusion  would  be. 

Sober-mindedness  was  gradually  assuming  sway,  and 
men  were  coming  to  see  that  a  continuance  of  the  course  so 
long  pursued  by  the  denomination  meant  eventual  wreck- 
age. There  was  too  much  strength  and  wisdom  in  the  de- 
nomination for  it  to  continue  much  longer  to  w^aste  its 
resources   of  power   in   unprofitable   wrangle.      Really,   the 


THROES    BEFORE    DELIVERANCE  257 

struggle  had  been  carried  to  the  point  of  exhaustion,  and 
ah-eady  men  were  seeking  to  find  a  turning  point  at  which 
they  might  discover  a  basis  of  general  reconciliation.  As 
was  intimated  in  the  preceding  chapter,  the  eyes  of  those 
who  occupied  the  outlooks,  and  who  had  come  to  view  the 
situation  with  more  or  less  conservatism,  were  gravely  con- 
cerned about  where  there  might  be  found  a  point  at  which 
they  might  meet  and  strike  the  hands  of  cofraternity.  With 
the  spirit  abroad  in  the  state,  with  the  disposition  shown  on 
the  part  of  many  of  the  churches  to  resume  aggressiveness, 
if  only  the  opportunity  were  ofifered  the  united  brotherhood 
of  Baptists,  there  was  a  feeling  that  they  could  enter  on 
a  fresh  career  of  denominational  prosperity.  For  this  all 
were  beginning  to  long,  and  the  drift  was  turning  unques- 
tionably in  that  direction.  But  the  providential  hour  had 
not  yet  struck.  At  certain  points  the  irritation  was  yet  fresh, 
and  time  was  necessary  to  heal  some  wounds.  The  extreme 
had  been  reached,  and  it  was  now  unsafe  to  press  any  of  the 
old  claims  unduly.  The  idea  long  entertained,  yea,  even 
cherished  by  some,  of  abolishing  all  educational  interests 
had  practically  vanished.  Still  this  much  had  been  accom- 
plished— the  conviction  had  been  reached  that  the  denomi- 
nation must  get  together  and  focus  its  interests,  or  disrup- 
tion and  disintegration  were  inevitable.  Nothing  was  more 
evident  than  that  factionalism  and  division  must  cease,  and 
give  place  to  harmony  and  denominational  unity  and  effort. 

When  the  General  Association  met  at  Ennis  on  July  23, 
1880,  confidence  was  shown  in  Dr.  R.  C.  Buckner  by  choos- 
ing him  president  of  that  body,  with  J.  L.  Whittle,  W.  D. 
Lair  and  Josiah  Leake,  vice  presidents,  S.  J.  Anderson,  re- 
cording secretary,  and  W.  H.  Parks,  corresponding  secre- 
tary. Much  significance  attached  to  the  expression  and 
temper  of  the  report  on  schools  and  colleges,  which  report, 
among  other  things,  says : 

"We  have  a  school  at  Waco  known  as  Waco  Univer- 
sity, which  has  stood  the  pelting  storms  of  adversity  and 
the  cyclones  of  opposition  for  years,  which,  instead  of  super- 
inducing a  failure  in  its  work,  has  caused  its  roots  to  deepen 
and  its  top  to  grow  taller  and  wider  until  it  has  gained  the 


258  HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

sympathy  and  admiration  of  a  host  of  friends,  and  put  to 
silence  its  most  determined  and  merciless  enemies." 

To  this  report  was  appended  a  resolution  which  is  self- 
explanatory  : 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  by  this 
body  to  confer  with  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Waco  Univer- 
sity and  with  Waco  Association  with  reference  to  organic 
connection  of  this  General  Association  with  Waco  Univer- 
sity as  her  denominational  school,  provided  that  such  trans- 
fer of  property  as  shall  be  satisfactory  to  all  parties  can  be 
secured,  and  report  to  this  body  at  its  next  annual  meeting. 
Provided,  further,  that  this  General  Association  assumes  no 
pecuniary  obligation." 

There  was  no  mistaking  what  this  meant.  The  General 
Association  was  by  this  action  irrevocably  committed  to 
Waco  University.  This  much  was  decisive.  More  than 
ordinary  activity  had  been  shown  by  the  association  during 
the  year,  there  being  eight  missionaries  in  the  field  and 
twenty  mission  stations  sustained  entirely  or  in  part,  among 
which  stations  were  McKinney  and  Texarkana.  Cash  col- 
lections on  the  field  amounted  to  $2,622.87,  sixty-four 
prayer-meetings  had  been  organized,  sixteen  churches  con- 
stituted and  seven  hundred  and  eighty-one  had  been  bap- 
tized. The  Bible,  Colportage  and  Education  Board  was 
rendering  excellent  service  in  a  field  where  such  an  agency 
was  much  needed.  A  liberal  donation  of  books  was  made 
at  this  session  to  continue  this  work. 

Previously  the  Buckner  Orphans'  Home  had  been  under 
the  auspices  of  the  General  Association  and  was  regarded 
as  being  exclusively  a  resort  for  Baptist  orphans,  but  at 
the  suggestion  of  Doctor  Buckner  the  liberal  policy  of 
admitting  to  its  fostering  care  all  orphans  was  adopted, 
and  that  has  been  its  policy  ever  since. 

The  most  of  the  active  work  done  in  the  state  was  now 
confined  to  the  two  general  bodies,  the  State  Convention 
and  the  General  Association.  With  exactly  similar  institu- 
tions and  agencies,  they  were  vying  with  each  other  in  the 
accomplishment  of  results.  In  some  respects  one  excelled, 
while  in  others  the  other  surpassed.  In  matters  educational 
the  advantage  was   with  the   General  Association,   where 


THROES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE        259 

there  was  the  utmost  unity,  while  in  the  convention  there 
was  division  of  sentiment. 

Following  the  meeting  of  the  General  Association  at 
Ennis,  came  that  of  the  State  Convention  in  October  at 
Austin.  This  was  conceded  to  have  been  the  best  session 
of  the  convention  for  years.  The  pastors'  conference,  which 
was  held  in  advance  of  the  meeting  of  the  convention,  was 
the  most  successful  ever  held.  Rev.  Manly  J.  Breaker,  a 
young  man  fresh  from  the  seminary,  was  the  popular  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Austin  at  this  time.  Dr.  W.  C.  Crane 
declining  re-election  as  president  of  the  body,  Rev.  C.  C. 
Chaplin  was  chosen.  The  vice  presidents  for  this  session 
were  W.  C.  Crane,  H.  L.  Graves  and  F.  M.  Law,  while 
O.  H.  P.  Garrett  was  made  recording  secretary,  and  Pink- 
ney  Hawkins,  corresponding  secretary. 

The  work  of  the  year  gave  great  encouragement.  Two 
financial  agents,  J.  W.  D.  Creath  and  William  Howard, 
had  been  stimulating  the  benevolence  of  the  churches,  while 
such  outposts  as  San  Antonio  and  Corpus  Christi  were  held 
with  a  firm  grip.  At  San  Antonio  the  vision  of  Creath  was 
at  last  realized  in  having  a  substantial  house  of  worship 
in  that  papal  stronghold.  For  years  together  he  had  borne 
the  cause  of  San  Antonio  on  his  heart,  as  the  ancient 
prophet  carried  the  divine  burden.  Astride  an  old  black 
horse,  Creath  had  ridden  for  years  across  the  plains  of 
Texas  pleading  for  San  Antonio.  He  was  at  first  greeted 
with  ridicule,  as  the  city  was  thought  to  be  so  thoroughly 
entrenched  in  Romanism  that  it  could  never  be  wrested 
from  its  clutch.  But  now  an  excellent  house  of  worship 
was  occupied  by  the  Baptists  of  that  city  and,  besides,  they 
had  a  comfortable  home  for  the  pastor.  There  was  still  a 
slight  debt  of  $i6i  resting  on  the  valuable  property.  At 
Corpus  Christi  Rev.  J.  M.  Carroll  was  making  a  good 
beginning  in  an  interest  fostered  by  the  convention.  Work 
on  the  field  had  been  of  a  gratifying  nature  during  the  year, 
as  there  had  been  brought  into  the  treasury  $4,572.67. 
Nothing  gave  more  joy  than  the  announcement  that  the 
church  at  San  Antonio  had  become  self-sustaining,  and 
would  no  longer  rely  on  the  board  for  aid.  More  than  to 
any  other,  the  cause  at  San  Antonio  is  indebted  for  its 


.'' 


r 


MRS.   F.   S.  DAVIS,   DALLAS,  TEXAS,   I'RES.  TEXAS  B.   W.   M.   W. 

(Mrs.  F.  S.  Davis,  uee  Mary  A.  IliU,  was  born  in  Ga.,  removing  with 
her  parents,  Waid  and  Margaret  Hill,  to  Texas  in  early  childhood ;  in 
1898  was  elected  Roc.  Sec.  of  Texas  B.  W.  M.  W.,  which  she  resigned  in 
1906  to  accept  the  presidency  of  the  same  body;  in  May,  190G,  she  was 
elected  Vicc-1'resident  for  Texas  of  the  W.  M.  U.  of  the  S.  B.  C,  to  which 
position  she  was  re-elected  May,  1907  :  previous  to  her  official  connection 
with  these  bodies,  she  had  been  in  close  touch  with  the  women's  work 
of  the  First  Church,  Dallas,  of  which  she  is  a  member,  and  of  the  work 
in  wider  fields ;  she  is  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  useful  leaders  the 
Southern  Baptist  women's  work  has  known.) 


THROES  BEFOEE  DELIVERANCE        £61 

existence  to  J.  W.  D.  Creath.  The  ditificulties  of  procuring 
funds  for  this  strugghng  cause,  so  far  from  suppressing 
the  ardor  of  this  indefatigable  man  of  God,  really  stimulated 
it.  Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1880  the  Central  Baptist 
Convention  was  organized  at  Dublin.  The  new  organiza- 
tion defined  its  object  to  be  missions  and  Sunday-schools. 
It  was  felt  that  a  large  scope  of  territory  was  unreached 
by  the  other  agencies,  and  from  a  sense  of  sheer  self-pro- 
tection this  body  came  into  being.  While  this  indicated 
greater  severance  and  division,  it  showed  at  the  same  time 
that  there  was  spirit  in  the  people.  Thus  it  was  not  without 
its  bright  side. 

The  East  Texas  Convention  was  held  in  1880  at  Tyler. 
It  was  doing  good  work  through  the  agency  of  nine  active 
missionaries.  There  was  at  this  time  manifest  activity  in 
the  Baptist  ranks,  but  it  was  ill-directed.  If  the  forces 
could  only  have  been  united  what  might  the  results  at  .this 
time  not  have  been ! 

The  denomination,  taken  as  a  whole,  was  a  strong  body. 
It  had  men  of  power,  but  they  were  more  nearly  rivals  for 
certain  interests,  more  or  less  local,  and  everyone  had  been 
in  such  touch  with  one  or  more  of  the  existing  bodies 
that  his  influence  was  impaired  and  he  was  unfitted  to  head 
a  general  movement  looking  to  consolidation.  Never  was 
there  a  leader  more  in  demand  for  a  great  cause  than  at 
this  time  in  Texas.  The  continued  growth  in  numbers  and 
wealth,  the  increasing  number  of  church  organizations, 
growing  largely  out  of  the  perpetual  flow  of  population,  and 
the  rapid  enhancement  of  property  values  throughout  the 
state,  were  causes  of  serious  concern ;  but  the  denomination 
was  not  in  condition  to  utilize  these  agencies.  There  could 
certainly  be  no  complaint  concerning  Baptist  liberty  at  this 
time,  for  it  was  supreme.  Scattered  over  a  practically 
boundless  region  of  country  were  churches  and  so-called  or- 
ganizations, hundreds  of  miles  apart,  each  pursuing  its  own 
course,  exercising  to  the  fullest  its  own  liberty,  and  each 
recognizing  itself  as  the  equal,  if  not  the  superior  of  every 
other,  the  outlook  at  this  time  was  anything  but  one  of  en- 
couragement. Nothing  short  of  a  marvelous  providence 
would  extricate  so  independent  a  people  from  a  condition 


262  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

SO  precarious  and  bind  them  into  indissoluble  oneness.  At 
this  time  nothing  seemed  more  remote.  In  the  horizon  of 
the  future  of  the  denomination  there  was  not  visible  a  ray 
of  hope  for  a  consummation  so  devoutly  wished.  New 
and  strong  men  were  coming  into  the  state  from  other 
quarters  of  the  country,  only  to  find  themselves  embarrassed 
by  existing  conditions.  They  found  themselves  under  ob- 
ligation to  assume  the  espousal  of  one  interest  or  another, 
as  they  might  be  geographically  situated.  However,  there 
were  two  occasions  of  hopefulness,  one  a  visible  one  and  the 
other  invisible.  The  visible  occasion  was  found  in  the  con- 
tinued activity  of  the  Baptist  forces.  While  the  forces  were 
scattered,  they  were  active.  Lethargv  or  indifference  would 
have  been  denominational  death.  So  long  as  the  waters 
were  agitated  they  could  not  become  stagnated.  The  in- 
visible occasion  for  hope  was  in  the  profound  concern  of 
thousands.  The  tendency  toward  disintegration  was  the 
cause  of  positive  apprehension  on  the  part  of  many  through- 
out the  state.  God  was  moving  in  a  round-about  way  to 
unify  the  Baptists  of  Texas  into  a  body  of  formidableness 
that  would  challenge  the  admiration  of  the  continent. 

The  year  1881  found  the  Baptist  General  Association  in 
session  at  Waco.  New  life  seems  to  have  come  to  the  body, 
as  there  were  present  about  350  messengers  from  eighteen 
associations  and  181  churches.  R.  C.  Buckner  was  again 
chosen  president,  while  the  vice-presidents  were  B.  H.  Car- 
roll, W.  J.  Brown  and  W.  D.  Lair.  S.  J.  Anderson  was 
again  made  recording  secretary  and  W.  H.  Parks  corre- 
sponding secretary.  Correspondents  were  present  from 
the  Central  Texas  Baptist  Convention  and  the  Good  West- 
ern Association  (colored).  Among  the  visitors  from  with- 
out the  state  were  Dr.  J.  R.  Graves,  of  Memphis,  Tennes- 
see ;  B.  M.  Townsend,  of  Alabama ;  J.  C.  Post,  of  Kansas, 
and  S.  H.  Wooding,  of  Kentucky.  Much  enthusiasm  was 
the  result  of  the  glowing  reports  from  every  quarter  of  the 
field.  Besides  the  general  financial  agent,  there  were  twelve 
missionaries  in  the  field  during  the  year,  the  aggregate 
results  of  the  labors  of  whom  were  the  supply  of  thirty-nine 
mission  stations,  420  baptisms,  328  added  to  the  churches 
by  letter,  twenty-nine  Sunday-schools  and  eighteen  churches 


THEOES  BEFOEE  DELIVERANCE        263 

organized,  and  much  religious  literature  distributed.  At 
the  preceding  session  of  the  body  W.  B.  Bagby,  missionary 
to  Brazil,  had  been  adopted  by  the  General  Association, 
which  assumed  his  support.  At  the  preceding  session  of 
the  Waco  Association  that  local  body  had  tendered  Waco 
University  to  the  General  Association,  but  the  ofifer  was 
neither  accepted  nor  declined ;  there  were  reasons  for  de- 
ferring action  on  this  important  matter,  as  there  were  indi- 
cations that  it  might  one  day  become  the  chosen  school  of 
the  denomination. 

In  the  conduct  of  its  work  the  General  Association  had 
differed  from  the  State  Convention  in  that  it  did  not  solicit 
aid  from  another  quarter,  such  as  the  Home  Mission  Board, 
preferring  to  do  its  own  work  in  its  own  way.  Its  course 
had  been  one  of  gradual  progress,  and  it  was  freer  of  fric- 
tion than  was  the  parent  body.  Aside  from  past  differences 
there  was  not  the  slightest  reason  why  these  two  general 
bodies  should  not  have  united.  There  was  not  the  slightest 
difference  between  the  works  or  operations  of  the  two 
bodies.  The  only  point  of  separation  was  that  they  were 
operated  from  two  different  or  separate  headquarters.  This 
did  not  escape  the  attention  of  thousands  of  Baptists,  and 
while  there  was  bad  blood,  many  could  not  see  why  this 
could  not  be  subordinated  to  the  general  good.  It  would 
seem  that  all  that  was  necessary  was  for  some  one  to  take 
the  initiative. 

When  the  State  Convention  met  in  1881  at  Galveston 
there  was  a  lack  of  energy  and  interest  in  the  meeting.  It 
was  slenderly  attended.  There  was  a  sluggishness  in  every 
movement  and  an  apparent  desire  merely  to  preserve  the 
form  rather  than  the  spirit.  The  officers  of  the  former  ses- 
sion were  retained  by  acclamation.  Later  in  the  session 
Rev.  O.  C.  Pope,  who  had  been  serving  on  the  staff  of  the 
Texas  Baptist  Herald,  was  elected  to  the  corresponding 
secretaryship  of  the  body.  So  far  as  the  work  of  the  State 
Mission  Board  was  concerned,  this  session  of  the  body 
marked  a  new  departure.  Pope  was  both  aggressive  and 
progressive.  For  the  first  time  Dr.  A.  T.  Spalding  was 
present  with  the  convention.  Soon  after  this  he  became  the 
pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Galveston,    The  situation  at 


2G4  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Galveston  was  at  that  time  peculiar.  There  were  two  Bap- 
tist churches  in  the  city,  located  on  adjoining  blocks,  and 
yet  there  was  an  ocean  of  silence  between  them.  They 
were  greatly  estranged,  and  there  was  a  disposition  to  unite 
if  they  could  agree  on  one  man.  That  man  was  A.  T. 
Spalding.  He  had  come  from  the  Second  Church  of 
Atlanta,  where  his  pastorate  had  been  a  most  successful 
one,  and  he  was  the  man  of  the  hour  at  Galveston.  In  the 
union  of  the  two  churches  came  harmony,  which  was 
nurtured  under  the  wise  leadership  of  Doctor  Spalding,  and 
two  months  after  the  assumption  of  the  work,  he  began  a 
new  house  of  worship  at  a  cost  of  $30,000,  which  was  the 
house  destroyed  by  the  storm  in  1900.  Dr.  S.  W.  Marston, 
representing  the  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York,  was 
in  attendance  on  the  Galveston  convention.  The  conven- 
tion considered  quietly,  but  seriously,  the  vast  destitution 
which  was  prevailing  throughout  the  state.  The  body  was 
more  ready  to  recognize  the  needs  than  it  was  to  undertake 
their  supply.  It  was  a  time  of  prevalent  stringency.  The 
entire  South  was  still  wrestling  with  serious  problems. 
The  people  of  the  South  were  groping  their  way  through 
the  general  gloom,  not  knowing  what  the  future  had  in 
store  for  them.  It  was  regarded  a  misfortune  at  this  time 
that  a  man  was  an  extensive  land-owner.  The  land  was 
practically  valueless  in  the  market,  and  the  taxes  were 
burdensome.  This,  added  to  the  scarcity  of  money,  made 
the  situation  a  difficult  one. 

To  the  Baptists  of  Texas  conditions  seemed  to  be  grow- 
ing worse  rather  than  otherwise.  Some  of  the  portions  of 
the  state  first  settled  had  lapsed  into  spiritual  destitution, 
and  th€  cause  seemed  to  be  decaying;  in  certain  other  parts 
the  lands  were  being  taken  up  rapidly,  the  population  was 
swelling  and  but  scant  preaching  was  had ;  and  especially 
on  the  western  1)ordcr,  population  was  massing,  and  there 
were  no  visible  means  of  supplying  the  wants  of  the  people. 
No  wonder  that  there  was  discontent  among  the  Bai)tist 
masses,  as  they  were  l)reaking  into  fragmentary  organiza- 
tions, seeking  to  meet  the  demands !  In  their  extremity 
the  Baptists  turned  to  the  Home  >\Iission  Board  of  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention,  but  no  encouragement  came 


THEOES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE        2G5 

from  that  source.  Facing  the  problem  of  destitution,  they 
sought  aid  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York. 

Just  a  few  months  before  the  meeting  of  the  Convention 
at  Galveston  came  a  wail  from  the  Sunday-school  and  Col- 
portage  Convention,  which  met  at  Gonzales,  concerning  the 
growth  of  destitution  throughout  the  state.  At  Galveston 
the  echo  of  this  outcry  from  Gonzales  was  heard.  The 
matter  became  first  urgent,  then  oppressive  to  the  Con- 
vention. The  leading  members  realized  that  the  funda- 
mental idea  of  all  active  Christian  work  had  been  lost  sight 
of  in  the  dust  of  battle,  where  secondary  matters  had  been 
given  the  first  place.  So  seriously  did  the  matter  become 
at  Galveston  that  a  discreet  committee  was  charged  with 
presenting  some  plan  of  relief,  and  in  order  that  something 
might  be  effected  if  possible  during  the  session  of  the  body, 
as  prompt  report  as  possible  was  recjuested.  Doctor  Pope 
reported  to  the  convention  that  he  had  personally  supported 
Rev.  J.  O.  Westrup  in  the  initial  work  in  Mexico  by  collec- 
tions raised  for  that  purpose.  After  the  murder  of  Westrup 
by  the  Mexican  Indians,  Rev.  W.  M.  Flournoy  had  been 
supported  by  Doctor  Pope  in  the  same  way. 

The  turning  point  in  the  matter  of  supplying  the  pre- 
vailing dearth  in  missionary  work  came  when  the  commit- 
tee presented  as  its  report  a  plan  of  co-operation  between 
the  Texas  Baptist  Convention  and  the  Home  Mission 
Society  of  New  York.  There  was  abundant  reason  for 
believing  that  the  Home  Mission  Society  would  co-operate 
in  this  work.  Hence  the  committee  presented  a  report, 
proposing  that  the  Convention  and  the  Home  Mission 
Society  co-operate,  by  the  Convention,  through  its  board, 
nominating  the  missionaries,  assign  each  his  respective  ter- 
ritory and  indicate  the  salary,  and  if  such  missionaries  were 
approved  they  were  to  be  under  the  appointment  of  the 
Home  ]\Iission  Society,  with  this  special  proviso,  that  the 
commissions  of  the  missionaries  were  to  bear  the  imprint : 
"The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  in  co-opera- 
tion with  the  Texas  Baptist  State  Convention."  The  mis- 
sionaries thus  appointed  were  to  make  quarterly  reports. 
each  to  the  Convention  and  the  Society ;  a  superintendent 
was  to  be  appointed  as  a  joint  representative  of  the  two 


266 


HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


bodies,  who  should  report  in  the  same  manner  as  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  for  each  dollar  raised  for  this  work  in  the 
state,  one  was  to  be  given  by  the  Home  Mission  Society,  to 
the  amount  of  $3,000  annually,  but  not  beyond  that  amount. 
This  furnished  a  possible  guarantee  of  $6,000  as  a  basis  of 


REV.  G.   S.  TUMLIN,  ROCKDALE,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Bartow  Co.,  Ga.,  Dec.  16,  1852  ;  educated  at  Bowdon  Col- 
lege and  the  State  University,  receiving  the  degrees  of  A.  B.,  A.  M.,  B.  L. 
and  D.  D.  from  said  institutions  ;  in  1872  united  with  the  Baptist  church 
in  Cartersville,  Ga. ;  1S77  was  ordained  to  preach  by  same  church ; 
practiced  law  a  few  years  successfully  and  was  county  Judge ;  In  1874 
married  Miss  Alice  Gilreath  ;  from  that  union  there  are  nine  children ; 
he  served  first  some  country  churches  in  Barton  county  :  then  was  pas- 
tor at  Marietta  and  La  Grange ;  in  1895  moved  to  Texas ;  has  served 
churches  in  Brenham,  Sulphur  Springs  and  Fort  Worth ;  is  now  la 
Rockdale,   Tex.) 


operation  till  the  churches  could  get  afoot  and  rally  from 
the  demoralization  from  which  they  W'ere  suffering. 

Arrangements  were  provided  for  a  payment  of  salaries 
each  quarter,  and  all  applications  for  funds  for  church- 
building  were  to  be  endorsed  by  the  state  board  prior  to 
being  sent  to  the  Home  Mission  Society.  While  all  this 
was  a  timely  interposition  on  the  part  of  the  Home  Mission 


THEOES  BEFORE  DELIVEEANCE        267 

Society,  it  was  unfortunate  that  it  was  due  to  the  pecuHar 
conditions  in  the  state  at  that  time.  There  was  not  wanting 
disposition  on  the  part  of  the  people  to  respond  when  a 
door  of  opportunity  opened,  as  was  shown  at  the  mass 
meeting  held  in  the  interests  of  Sunday-schools  on  Sunday 
of  the  Convention  at  Galveston.  At  that  meeting  $2,415 
was  pledged  to  the  work. 

The  report  was  formally  presented  to  the  body  that  the 
veteran  missionary.  Rev.  J.  W.  D.  Creath,  had  died  during 
the  preceding  July,  while  serving  as  general  financial  agent 
of  the  Convention.  Another  of  the  landmarks  passed  away 
with  the  death  of  J.  W.  D.  Creath.  Noted  for  many  excel- 
lences, he  perhaps  surpassed  in  the  fervor  of  exhortation. 
While  he  warned,  urged,  implored  the  unsaved,  his  placid 
face  was  radiant  as  with  supernatural  light.  -While  not  a 
great  preacher,  as  the  world  counts  greatness,  he  was  peer- 
less in  the  urgency  of  appeal,  and  the  projectile  power  of 
the  man,  and  the  attendant  results  made  him  emphatically 
great.  Only  three  missionaries  were  at  work  under  the 
state  board  during  the  year,  but  aid  had  been  rendered  the 
churches  at  Hempstead  and  Corpus  Christi,  and  the  San 
Saba  and  Perdinales  Associations  had  been  helped  in  their 
local  work.  The  collections  for  the  year  aggregated 
$6,640.97. 

Beginning  under  a  shadow,  the  Galveston  Convention 
closed  in  a  glow.  A  vista  had  opened  and  the  pros- 
pect beyond  was  one  of  cheer.  Really,  this  was  a  decided 
turning  point  in  Baptist  work  in  Texas.  From  this  time 
forth  the  State  Convention  began  to  take  on  new  accretions 
of  strength  and  to  receive  fresh  momentum,  and  it  has  not 
ceased  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  quarter  century.  The 
Convention  and  its  work  assumed  a  dignity  and  importance 
which  it  had  never  before  possessed.  Its  dormancy  gave 
place  to  activity,  and  its  indifference  and  listlessness  were 
exchanged  for  an  aggressiveness  never  before  known. 
Without  hesitation  it  began  outright  the  invasion  of  desti- 
tute quarters,  and  the  land  rang  with  the  voice  of  the  living 
preacher.  Around  the  State  Convention  was  beginning  to 
center  the  interest  of  the  cause  in  the  state.  Hearts  mel- 
lowed under  the  influence  of  the  strides  which  were  now 


3G8  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

being  taken,  and  the  despondency  which  had  so  long  held 
the  hearts  of  the  people  was  exchanged  for  optimism.  It  is 
amazing  how  rapidly  pervasive  hopefulness  becomes  when 
once  it  begins  to  prevail ! 

Both  the  General  Association  and  the  Convention  were 
now  assuming  proportions  not  hitherto  enjoyed,  and  the 
General  Association  was  the  body  to  take  the  initial  step 
toward  a  reunion  of  the  Baptist  forces.  About  this  time 
Doctor  R.  C.  Buckner,  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
General  Association,  prepared  a  letter  for  the  board  of  that 
body,  which  letter  was  to  be  forwarded  to  the  correspond- 
ing secretary  of  the  State  Board,  Doctor  Pope.  This  letter 
was  most  fraternal  in  its  tone,  and  solicited  mutual  recogni- 
tion between  the  two  boards,  and  even  hinted  that  something 
more  than  mutuality  of  recognition  might  come  if  such 
action  were  now  taken.  This  letter  was  sent  to  Dr.  O.  C. 
Pope,  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  State  Board,  and 
while  it  was  received  by  him,  the  board,  for  some  reason, 
was  kept  in  ignorance  of  this  fraternal  action  on  the  part 
of  the  board  of  the  General  Association.  But  for  this  event 
reconciliation  might  have  come  in  i88r.  It  was  just  that 
for  which  the  people  w'ere  longing,  and  a  publication  of  the 
fact  of  such  a  step  being  taken  would  have  sent  a  thrill 
throughout  the  state.  As  it  was,  fresh  irritation  was  engen- 
dered, as  the  General  Association  Board  felt  that  its  over- 
tures were  ignored  by  the  board  of  the  State  Convention, 
when  in  truth  the  members  of  the  last-named  board  were 
not  aware  of  the  existence  of  such  a  communication  being- 
sent  till  years  afterward. 

Under  O.  C.  Pope,  the  new  superintendent  of  missions 
of  the  state  board,  the  work  began  at  once  to  grow.  New 
fields  were  invaded,  and  at  last  the  State  Convention  found 
itself  in  possession  of  a  distinct  policy.  The  policy  insti- 
tuted by  O.  C.  Pope  was  one  that  continued  for  many  years, 
if  indeed  it  has  been  more  than  slightly  modified  at  all.  Pie 
was  the  man  to  institute  vigorous  cam])aigning  on  the  west- 
ern border  and  to  accompany  with  tlie  liihlc  the  advance 
guard  toward  the  setting  sun.  It  was  during  his  adminis- 
tration that  the  foreign  populations  in  the  state  received 
the  respect  due  them ;  it  was  at  the  same  time  that  great 


THKOES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE         269 

emphasis  was  laid  on  church  buikUng,  and  as  far  as  the 
resources  at  command  would  allow,  the  work  was  made 
state-wide.  Pope  was  administrative,  but  he  was  lacking 
in  the  element  that  persuaded  men  to  his  side.  His  policy 
was  more  aggressive  than  concessive.  The  points  of  angu- 
larity in  his  character  prevented  that  full  sweep  of  power 
which  he  might  have  had  at  a  time  when  just  such  was 
needed.  Still  he  did  a  marvelous  work  in  providing  new 
channels  of  operation  for  the  activities  of  the  board. 

While  the  work  in  Texas  was  assuming  changed  phases, 
there  were  changes  in  other  directions  which  were  destined 
greatly  to  affect  local  state  work  and  to  give  it  a  fresh 
propulsion.  God  was  working  in  other  remote  ways  for  the 
promotion  of  the  work,  not  in  Texas  alone,  but  elsewhere 
throughout  the  South.  The  old  systems  needed  overhaul- 
ing, and  new  policies  adjusted  to  the  conditions  of  the  times 
were  in  demand.  Original  executive  power  which  could 
preserve  intact  the  things  that  remained,  and  yet  wheel  them 
into  new  directions  and  compel  the  opening  of  new  doors, 
was  in  demand.  In  a  college  in  Alabama  was  a  man  on 
whom  God  laid  His  hand,  who  came  to  the  kingdom  for 
such  a  time  as  this.  I.  T.  Tichenor,  the  president  of  the 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College  of  Alabama,  was  a 
man  whose  soul  was  on  fire  for  missions.  The  boundary  of 
his  vision  was  the  world.  His  great  and  fertile  brain  was 
productive  of  new  plans,  which,  if  not  always  practical, 
were  at  least  luxuriant  of  suggestiveness.  His  great  heart 
yearned  for  the  salvation  of  men  in  the  remote  parts  of  the 
world,  and  his  soul  was  on  fire  for  the  perishing  millions 
of  the  earth.  But  God  had  for  him  another  sphere  than 
that  for  which  he  pined.  For  Tichenor  was  reserved,  not 
to  labor  in  foreign  fields,  but  to  do  work  of  a  fundamental 
character  in  the  southern  end  of  the  American  states. 
Without  missions  at  home,  missions  abroad  are  impossible. 
If  the  Moravians  did  no  more  for  the  world,  they  illustrated 
the  fact  that  foreign  missions  cannot  be  prosecuted  inde- 
pendent of  missions  at  home. 

The  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  which  met  in  1882  at 
Greenville,  South  Carolina,  by  a  single  stroke  wrought  a 
radical  change   in   the  system   of   missionary  work   in  the 


270  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

South.  The  Home  Mission  Board  was  removed  from 
Marion,  Alabama,  to  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and  Dr.  I.  T.  Tiche- 
nor  became  the  new  secretary.  He  promptly  assumed  con- 
trol with  the  hand  of  a  master,  and  with  characteristic  en- 
thusiasm. His  policy  was  to  bring  the  entire  South  into 
vital  touch  with  the  Home  Mission  Board.  He  saw  at  once 
that  this  could  not  be  done  by  remaining  in  his  office  and 
making  appeals  through  the  denominational  press,  accord- 
ing to  the  policy  hitherto  pursued,  but  that  his  presence  was 
needed  continually  on  the  field,  where,  by  personal  contact 
with  existing  conditions,  he  could  familiarize  himself  with 
the  needs  of  the  field,  and  then  follow  this  practically  by  a 
provision  of  means  for  each  emergency.  He  found  vast 
need  of  just  such  an  agency  as  the  Board,  to  the  head  and 
leadership  of  which  he  had  been  called.  No  portion  of  the 
vast  field  of  the  South  was  left  unvisited  by  the  new  secre- 
tary. New  visions  of  spiritual  prosperity  sprang  into  the 
mind  of  this  statesman-preacher,  new  and  immense  ques- 
tions came  with  the  breadth  of  his  information  of  conditions 
in  the  South,  and  in  consequence  new  life  was  infused  into 
the  work  which  had  so  long  been  dormant. 

The  fifteenth  annual  session  of  the  Baptist  General  Asso- 
ciation of  Texas  was  held  at  Sulphur  Springs.  R.  C.  Buckner 
was  again  chosen  president  of  the  body.  Dr.  I.  T.  Tichenor, 
who  only  had  a  short  while  before  been  made  secretary  of 
the  Home  Board,  was  present  and  made  a  liberal  offer  of 
aid  to  the  Association  on  certain  conditions  of  a  specified 
amount  being  raised  by  that  body,  but  there  was  some 
reluctance  to  accept  the  offer  at  once,  because  of  the  inabil- 
ity to  procure  the  services  of  a  competent  field  and  financial 
agent.  Doctor  Buckner  finally  consented  to  accept  this 
work,  and  there  was  the  infusion  of  new  life  at  once  im- 
parted to  the  cause  in  that  quarter.  The  results  of  the 
year's  effort  were  encouraging.  The  territory  of  the  Asso- 
ciation had  been  materially  broadened,  and  new  interests 
were  brought  into  being.  The  Sunday-school  work  was  the 
most  prosperous  branch  of  the  service,  for  during  all  these 
years  this  interest  was  sedulously  fostered  by  the  Association. 
At  this  session  of  the  body,  Waco  University  was  formally 
accepted  by  the  Association  and  became  organically  con- 


THROES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE        271 

nected  with  it.  A  commission  was  appointed  to  raise  $60,- 
000  for  endowment,  and  the  citizens  of  Waco  proposed  to 
erect  a  central  building  on  the  campus  at  a  cost  of  $20,000. 
The  people  of  Waco  asked  for  more  time  to  make  good 
their  proposal. 

In  the  autumn  following  the  meeting  of  the  General 
Association  came  the  meeting  of  the  Convention  at  Belton. 
C.  C.  Chaplin  was  again  made  president;  W.  C.  Crane, 
F.  M.  Law  and  J.  H.  Stribling,  vice-presidents;  O.  H.  P. 
Garrett,  recording  secretary,  and  O.  C.  Pope,  correspond- 
ing secretary.  The  visitors  from  abroad  were  Drs.  I.  T. 
Tichenor,  of  the  Home  Mission  Board,  and  S.  W.  Marston, 
of  the  Home  Mission  Society.  Fraternal  messengers  were 
present  from  the  East  Texas,  North  Texas  and  Central 
Texas  Conventions.  The  lingering  notes  of  disagreement 
found  expression  in  a  resolution  offered  by  Doctor  Crane 
with  reference  to  the  reception  of  correspondents  from 
other  bodies,  to  the  effect  that  the  reception  of  visitors  from 
such  did  not  commit  the  Convention  to  an  endorsement  of 
the  actions  of  the  bodies  thus  represented,  nor  to  their 
ecclesiastical  standing.  The  past  year  had  been  one  of  the 
most  active  and  prosperous  in  the  history  of  the  Convention, 
if,  indeed,  it  had  not  been  the  most  signal  in  results.  Sec- 
retary Pope  had,  with  enterprising  zeal  and  wise  move- 
ment, pushed  the  boundaries  of  denominational  endeavor 
far  beyond  its  original  limit  on  the  frontier  of  the  west, 
while  the  interior  was  not  neglected.  He  had  wisely  seized 
such  strategic  points  as  Laredo,  El  Paso  and  Abilene,  where 
churches  were  organized  during  the  past  year.  The  occu- 
pation of  San  Antonio  with  so  much  success  had  encour- 
aged that  of  Laredo  and  other  points.  The  sainted  Creath 
had  passed  away  with  the  notes  almost  on  his  dying  lips : 
"On  to  Laredo!"  El  Paso  and  Laredo  were  properly  re- 
garded as  gateways  to  the  Republic  of  Mexico.  Pope  had 
also  succeeded  in  bringing  into  co-operation  with  the  State 
Convention  both  the  Central  Texas  and  the  North  Texas 
Convention,  while  three  outside  associations  were  also 
brought  in.  A  large  corps  of  twenty-one  missionaries  had 
been  actively  at  work  in  the  field  during  the  year.  Among 
their  achievements   was  the   constitution  of  thirteen   new 


273  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

churches.  The  detailing  of  the  substance  of  the  annual 
rej'jort  of  the  secretary  gave  great  enthusiasm  to  the  body 
and  awoke  new  energy.  So  impressed  was  the  Convention 
with  the  accomplishments  of  Secretary  Pope,  that  Doctor 
Spalding  offered  a  resolution  of  thanks  in  the  Convention 
to  Doctor  Pope  for  his  energy  and  fidelity  during  the  past 


REV.  ALLEN  B.  INGRAM,  WACO,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Russellville,  Ala.,  April  29,  1§59  ;  early  cliildliood  spent  in 
Miss,  and  N.  C.  :  mother  died  in  18G2;  moved  to  Grayson  Co.,  Texas,  in 
1874  ;  attended  school  at  I'rairie  Valley  ;  converted  at  17  ;  joined  Prairie 
Valley  Church,  which  church  ordained  him  to  the  ministry  in  1880 : 
married  to  ^^.ss  Elizabeth  E.  Draper,  Jan.  12,  1871);  has  Ave  sons  and 
three  daughters :  attended  Basin  Springs  Academy,  1881-83 :  was  suc- 
cessively pastor  at  Rock  Creek,  Basin  Springs,  missionay  of  Shiloh  Assn. 
and  pastor  at  Whitesboro,  resigning  in  1889  to  attend  S.  B.  T.  S. ;  has 
been  pastor  of  Second  Church,  Dallas ;  Lampasas,  Caldwell,  Corsicana, 
Gainesville,  and  is  now  pastor  of  Columbus  Street  Church,  Waco. ;  all 
these  churches  have  prospered  greatly  under  his  efficient  leadership  ;  1,000 
souls  have  been  converted  under  his  ministry :  is  known  as  a  pastor- 
evangelist  ;  served  as  Gen'l  Miss'y  a  short  while ;  has  been  member  of 
State  AUssion  Board  eleven  years.) 


year.  The  mission  of  Doctor  Alarston  to  the  Convention 
was  to  elicit  interest  in  behalf  of  the  Negroes.  Pie  was 
invited  to  hold  as  many  institutes  as  possible  among  the 
colored  preachers,  and  was  pledged  the  united  support  of 
the  pastors  in  his  praiseworthy  work. 


THEOES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE        273 

Sunday  was  devoted  to  the  interests  of  Sunday-schools 
and  state  and  foreign  missions.  The  speeches  were  of  a 
most  inspiring  character,  and  the  Convention  was  thrilled 
as  never  before.  W.  D.  Powell  had  but  recently  become  the 
missionary  to  Mexico,  and  at  a  mass-meeting  held  in  the 
afternoon,  at  which  several  made  addresses,  pledges  were 
taken  for  $2,225.  This  was  followed  by  a  sermon  at  night 
by  B.  H.  Carroll,  the  character  of  which  was  such  as  to 
intensify  the  sentiments  of  the  day  and  to  prepare  the  way 
for  a  large  collection  by  General  A.  T.  Hawthorne,  who 
was  then  representing  the  Foreign  Board  in  Texas.  A 
similar  offer  to  that  made  by  Doctor  Tichenor  to  the  Gen- 
eral Association  was  tendered  the  Convention  and  readily 
accepted.  For  all  purposes  there  had  been  raised  during 
the  year  the  unprecedented  amount  of  $62,087.12.  This 
embraced  funds  for  all  purposes,  including  the  amount  con- 
tributed to  the  work  by  the  Home  Mission  Society. 

At  this  session  of  the  Convention  was  recognized  for 
the  first  time  that  important  branch  of  work  known  as 
woman's  work.  To  Mrs.  Fannie  Breedlove  Davis  is  due 
the  distinction  of  beginning  this  work  in  Texas.  A  woman 
of  unusual  native  power,  with  which  was  coupled  a  heart 
of  consecration,  she  steadfastly  pressed  the  claims  of  this 
work  and  was  its  indwelling  spirit  for  full  thirteen  years. 
She  saw  the  fulfillment  of  her  initial  vision  in  the  perma- 
nent establishment  of  this  most  worthy  cause  among  the 
Baptist  women  of  Texas. 

The  Convention  at  Belton  was  the  beginning  of  greater 
things  to  Texas  Baptists.  The  seeds  planted  in  the  epochal 
Convention  at  Galveston  the  year  before  were  already  yield- 
ing a  harvest.  Besides  the  work  done  by  Doctor  Pope  and 
his  worthy  colaborers  on  the  field,  there  were  other  indica- 
tions of  a  most  encouraging  nature.  One  of  these  was  that 
of  the  consolidation  of  several  of  the  minor  organizations 
with  the  State  Convention.  Then  the  presence  of  B.  H. 
Carroll  at  this  session  of  the  Convention  was  most  sig- 
nificant.    Brethren  were  beginning  to  see  eye  to  eye. 

Matters  were  looking  more  propitious  in  all  directions. 
Objections  which  had  heretofore  been  urged  against  the 
State  Convention  and  its  tardiness  in  occupying  the  waste 


274  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

places,  which  objections  were  not  without  basis  and  which 
had  largely  been  the  occasion  of  the  creation  of  minor  bodies 
and  the  division  of  the  denomination  into  segments,  were 
now  being  forgotten  in  the  gigantic  strides  which  were  being 
taken,  so  easy  is  it  to  forget  darkness  when  the  light  ap- 
pears. Yet  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Convention 
was  seriously  crippled,  up  to  this  time,  by  its  financial  inabil- 
ity to  meet  recognized  demands,  a  situation  for  which  the 
Convention  was  not  responsible.  Still  it  cannot  be  denied 
that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  as  the  fundamental  power 
of  God  among  men  had  been  too  easily  lost  sight  of  in  the 
pressure  of  other  matters  to  the  denominational  front. 

Besides,  the  times  were  far  more  favorable.  Railways 
were  now  ramifying  the  state  in  every  direction  and  facili- 
ties of  travel  had  multiplied  manifold.  If  the  railroads  in- 
duced a  greater  population  and  a  multiplication  of  centers, 
they  afforded  readier  means  of  reaching  alike  the  populous 
rural  regions  and  the  villages,  towns  and  cities.  What  was 
needed  was  a  man  who  could  lead  and  direct  the  forces. 
Such  a  man  seemed  to  be  Dr.  O.  C.  Pope.  The  recent 
combination  of  conditions  gave  a  brighter  and  fresher 
future  to  the  cause  in  the  state.  By  means  of  the  facilities 
of  travel  the  Baptist  brotherhood  was  brought  into  more 
frequent  and  intimate  touch  and  ease  of  correspondence. 
Distance  and  enforced  silence  had  done  much  hitherto  to 
keep  open  the  breaches  in  the  denominational  ranks  in  the 
state.  The  situation  was  assuming  such  shape  that  hope 
of  better  things  was  coming,  even  to  the  most  despondent. 

Not  a  little  had  been  learned  from  the  dissensions  and 
divisions  of  the  past.  Yet  there  still  remained  difficulties  to 
be  overcome,  of  which  the  educational  question  was  the 
most  serious.  It  was  clear  that  so  long  as  two  rival  Bap- 
tist institutions  remained  there  could  be  no  real  unity,  and 
consequently,  no  substantial  progress.  Then,  too,  rival  de- 
nominational papers,  each  of  a  most  pronounced  type,  kept 
the  gaps  in  the  Baptist  ranks  open.  With  all  the  favorable 
signs,  no  way  seemed  possible  as  yet  to  clear  the  way  of 
serious  difficulties,  but  as  the  people  were  drawing  closer 
to  God,  lie  was  drawing  closer  to  them,  and  in  His  own 


THROES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE        275 

good  time  that  which  now  seemed  insuperable  would  be 
overcome. 

The  year  1883  was  in  some  respects  a  most  eventful  one 
in  the  history  of  the  state.  Material  and  educational  inter- 
ests had  been  conspiring  for  a  period  of  years  to  fruit  forth 
in  a  most  auspicious  way.  The  state  had  been  favored  with 
a  succession  of  governors,  the  patriotic  aim  of  whom  was 
to  promote  to  the  highest  the  welfare  of  the  people.  Lib- 
eral policies  of  State  had  induced  much  capital  to  Texas,  and 
this  had  rapidly  changed  conditions  from  the  primitive  into 
that  of  the  most  progressive. 

During  the  year  1883  normal  schools,  both  for  whites 
and  blacks,  were  established,  and  this  was  the  year  which 
witnessed  the  birth  of  the  State  University,  at  Austin.  The 
decided  advancement  of  the  educational  institutions  of  the 
State  emphasized  to  the  Baptists  the  importance  of  rallying 
their  forces  lest  they  lose  their  educational  identity  in  Texas. 
These  movements  on  the  part  of  the  State  had  somewhat  to 
do  with  the  important  concentration  of  Baptist  forces  some 
time  later,  or  at  least  it  was  an  indirect  reminder  of  the 
necessity  of  self-preservation. 

It  was  in  the  year  1883  that  the  new  building  of  the 
First  Church  of  Waco  was  completed.  The  original  church 
having  been  destroyed  by  fire,  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  and  his 
people  entered  at  once  on  the  erection  of  another,  the  con- 
templated cost  of  which  was  $40,000,  the  finest  Baptist 
meeting  house  ever  erected  in  the  State  up  to  that  time.  It 
was  completed  in  time  to  welcome  the  session  of  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention,  which  met  in  May  of  this  year  in 
the  new  structure.  But  one  time  before  had  the  great  con- 
vention met  in  Texas,  and  the  inducement  offered  by  the  rail- 
roads of  an  excursion  to  Mexico  served  to  bring  together  a 
large  attendance  of  Southern  Baptists,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
free  and  copious  hospitality  enjoyed  before.  Waco  Baptists 
were  at  their  best  in  dispensing  hospitality  rarely  equaled ; 
and  in  providing  for  the  tour  into  Mexico,  the  Baptists  of  the 
State  fairly  outdid  themselves.  The  tour  was  arranged  and 
conducted  by  Dr.  O.  C.  Pope,  to  whom,  in  token  of  their 
appreciation,  the  Baptist  tourists  while  at  San  Antonio,  en 
route  to  Mexico,  presented  a  handsome  silver  service.    The 


2'^6  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

meeting  of  the  Southern  Convention  contributed  not  a  little 
to  the  tendency  of  good  feeling  which  had  already  set  in  in 
Texas. 

The  year  1883  marks  the  date  of  the  removal  of  the 
Texas  Baptist  Herald  from  Houston  to  Austin.  As  has 
before  been  said,  while  the  scjuthcrn  part  of  the  State  fur- 
nished the  heroes  of  Texas,  the  scenes  of  their  exploits,  the 
historic  battle  grounds  and  the  transactions  of  independence, 
a  time  came  when  it  was  gradually  abandoned,  and  central 
and  northern  Texas  became  the  empire  of  population.  In 
going  to  Austin,  and  later  to  Waco,  Doctor  Link  was  simply 
seeking  to  keep  in  the  current  of  state  life. 

Shortly  after  his  removal  to  Austin,  Doctor  Link  went 
to  Gatesville  in  the  interest  of  his  paper,  when  he  met  a 
man  who  was  destined  to  exert  a  potent  influence  and 
accomplish  that  which  no  other  accomplished  in  one  of  the 
fiercest  of  denominational  ordeals.  While  at  Gatesville, 
Link  met  J.  B.  Cranfill,  who  was  editing  The  Gatesinllc 
Advance,  and  was  a  teacher  of  the  Bible  class  in  the  Sun- 
day-school. Taking  a  place  in  the  class  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing, Doctor  Link  w^as  much  impressed  by  the  force  fulness 
and  clearness  alike  of  the  thought  and  the  diction  of  the 
young  teacher.  It  occurred  to  Doctor  Link  that  Cranfill 
was  excellent  timber  for  an  editor,  and  frankly  told  him 
so  and  sought  to  persuade  him  to  remove  to  Austin  and 
become  associated  with  him  in  the  conduct  of  the  Texas 
Baptist  Herald.  The  trained  editor  saw  in  the  beardless 
youth  the  embryo  of  a  coming  newspaper  man.  The  con- 
ditions of  the  removal  of  Cranfill  were  not  favorable,  and 
he  declined  the  offer  made  by  Doctor  Link. 

In  September,  1883,  Major  Penn  held  a  remarkable 
meeting  at  Fort  Worth,  and  before  quitting  the  city  was 
instrumental  in  constituting  a  new  church,  which  was  first 
named  the  Southside  Church,  but  afterward  became  the 
Broadway  Church.  It  has  had  a  varied  career,  but  is  at 
present,  under  the  pastoral  leadership  of  Rev.  P.  E.  Bur- 
roughs, one  of  the  strong  churches  of  the  state,  with  a 
membership  of  950. 

The  headway  gained  by  the  Baptists  in  San  Antonio 
was  a   sufficient  inducement  for  the   State   Convention  to 


THEOES  BEFORE  DELIVEEANCE        277 

be  held  in  that  city  in  1883.  Here  was  a  dawn  of  greater 
things  to  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  The  Convention  was  the 
largest  ever  held,  the  enthusiasm  the  greatest,  the  year's 
work  the  best.  Messengers  were  enrolled  from  sixty-six 
churches,  from  every  part  of  the  State,  besides  those  from 
fourteen  associations.  The  officers  of  the  preceding  ses- 
sion were  unanimously  re-elected,  itself  an  indication  of 
harmony  and  good  will.  The  Convention  began  at  high 
tide,  and  continued  with  increasing  enthusiasm  throughout. 
The  older  members,  in  referring  to  it,  found  delight  in  the 
comparison  of  it  with  former  conventions. 

Early  in  the  session  Rev.  W.  D.  Powell,  who  had  been 
a  missionary  for  several  years  in  Mexico,  presented  to  the 
body  two  prominent  Mexicans,  the  mayor  of  Saltillo  and 
the  superintendent  of  instruction  of  the  Republic,  who, 
together,  tendered  to  the  Baptists  valuable  property  on 
which  they  might  found  an  orphanage  and  an  institution 
for  the  higher  instruction  of  women.  Reference  of  the 
offer  so  kindly  made  was  made  to  a  committee,  which  com- 
mittee recommended  that  action  be  referred  to  the  Foreign 
Board  at  Richmond,  Virginia. 

The  interest  of  the  body  centered  in  missions,  to  which 
Doctor  Tichenor  contributed  by  his  earnest  appeals.  Dur- 
ing the  year  Secretary  Pope  had  collected  by  his  own  efforts 
$8,716.25.  There  had  been  raised  and  disbursed  during  the 
year,  $32,803.32,  while  on  church  building  there  had  been 
expended  $59,337.04.  This,  of  course,  included  all  churches 
built  within  the  territory  of  the  Convention  during  the 
period  of  the  year,  but  it  showed  the  progress  which  was 
being  made  in  the  State.  The  winter  of  the  history  of  the 
Baptists  of  Texas  was  passing,  and  the  rejuvenation  of 
spring-time  had  come. 

The  amounts  expended  on  the  field  in  the  interest  of 
missions  were  distributed  among  thirty-seven  missionaries, 
as  against  twenty-one  the  preceding  year,  through  the 
labors  of  whom  there  were  556  baptized,  and  677  received 
by  letter,  while  under  their  supervision  nine  meeting  houses 
had  been  built.  The  amounts  received  from  without  the 
State  had  been  doubled  since  the  appropriation  of  the  Home 
Mission  Board,  and  the  results  on  the  field  had  been  trebled. 


278 


HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


Tlie  work  of  the  year  surpassed  that  of  any  other  in  the 
history  of  the  denomination  in  the  State,  and  the  session 
of  the  Convention  for  1883  closed  with  enthusiasm,  which 
was  imparted  to  many  quarters  of  the  state  by  the  return- 
ing messengers.     On  December  19,  1883,  Rev.  Z.  N.  Mor- 


REV.  G.  H.  M.  WILSON,  BEEVILLE,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Barber  Co.,  Ala.,  May  25,  1848;  moved  to  La.  in  1855; 
united  with  Pleasant  Grove  Church  in  Jackson  Parish,  La.,  in  1865 ; 
baptized  b.v  Rev.  Jno.  L.  Mayes  :  moved  to  Texas  in  1867  ;  married  to 
Miss  Martha  E.  Young,  Jan.  2,  1870,  by  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Green  ;  ordained 
to  the  gospel  ministry  in  Grimes  Co.,  Tex.,  Sept.  7,  1873,  by  the  Union 
Hill  Church  ;  married  the  second  time,  Sept.  11,  1894,  in  Bee  Co.,  Tex., 
to  Miss  Oleetha  Allsup,  by  Rev.  A.  N.  Barber ;  not  one  day  has  passed 
since  his  ordination  that  he  has  not  been  actively  engaged  as  pastor  or 
missionary  ;  now  pastor  of  Kenedy  and  Choate  churches.) 


rell  died,  lacking  only  twenty-eight  days  of  being  eighty- 
one  years  old.  He  had  left  a  valuable  record  in  a  work 
entitled,  "Flowers  and  Fruits  of  Texas,"  which  was  edited 
by  M.  V.  Smith.  His  last  words  to  his  son  in  the  gospel, 
M.  V.  Smith,  were :  "I  will  soon  be  safe  at  home."  He 
lies  buried  at  Kyle. 

The  General  Association  for  1883  met  at  Cleburne.     It 
was  an  unusually  lai'ge  gathering,  there  being  messengers 


THROES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE        279 

from  ninety-two  churches  and  fourteen  associations.  R.  C. 
Buckner  was  chosen  president;  B.  H.  Carroll,  J.  R.  Clark 
and  W.  J.  Brown,  vice  presidents;  S.  J.  Anderson,  record- 
ing secretary,  and  A.  J.  Holt,  corresponding  secretary. 
Doctor  I.  T.  Tichenor  was  present  to  represent  the  Home 
Board,  and  J.  A.  Hackett,  of  Louisiana.  The  amount  of 
$3,000,  which  had  been  proposed  on  certain  conditions  to 
be  given  by  the  Home  Board  during  the  past  year,  it  seemed 
for  a  time  would  not  be  available.  Doctor  Buckner  was 
appointed  financial  secretary  to  raise  on  the  field  the  req- 
uisite amount,  but  after  a  time  he  found  it  impracticable  to 
accept  it,  when  Rev.  G.  W.  Pickett  was  chosen  to  raise  it, 
but  he,  too,  gave  it  up  after  a  period,  when  Rev.  A.  J.  Holt 
was  appointed.  It  had  been  a  year  of  activity  with  the 
General  Association.  Sixteen  missionaries  had  been  em- 
ployed, and  their  work  had  been  attended  with  gratifying 
results.  The  budget  for  the  next  year  was  prepared  and 
the  work  projected.  The  people  of  Waco  notified  the  Asso- 
ciation that  its  quota  of  $20,000  was  in  the  bank  awaiting 
the  completion  of  the  share  of  $60,000,  which  amount  had 
been  assumed  by  the  Association  as  its  contribution  to  the 
University  at  Waco.  Among  the  reports  submitted  at  this 
session  was  one  on  "Relations  to  Other  Bodies,"  presented 
by  B.  H.  Carroll.  Its  insight  into  the  situation,  and  its  fore- 
cast of  the  future  in  part,  justify  its  insertion  in  full.  It  is 
as  follows : 

"Your  committee,  to  which  was  referred  the  considera- 
tion of  the  relation  of  this  body  to  other  Baptist  general 
bodies  of  this  State,  respectfully  submit  the  following  re- 
port: We  find  the  subject  one  of  great  difficulty  and  re- 
quiring the  wisest  treatment.  There  are  facts  involved, 
all  of  which  it  might  not  be  prudent  to  submit  in  detail. 
We  are  therefore  much  embarrassed  in  determining  just 
how  much  to  say  and  in  what  way  to  say  it.  Also  in  recom- 
mending the  surest  and  purest  methods  of  relief  from  any 
existing  trouble.  The  supreme  object  desired  is  peace  with 
all  our  brethren  and  fraternal  co-operation  in  the  work  of 
Christ. 

"South  of  us  lies  the  Baptist  State  Convention,  a  body 
older   in   organization   than   our  own,   one   for  which   we 


280  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

cherish  the  ])r()f()un(lcst  love  and  respect  for  its  glorious 
record  of  work  in  the  Master's  cause  in  the  many  years  of 
its  history.  To  the  east,  and  along  our  northwest  and  west- 
ern borders,  are  respectively  the  Kast  Texas,  North  Texas 
and  Central  Texas  Conventions,  having  in  great  measure 
undefined  and  undefinable  boundaries. 

"It  is  a  fact  with  Baptist  churches  that  no  arbitrary 
lines  can  be  drawn  fixing  definite  boundaries,  as  each  church 
inherits  the  inalienable  right  to  form  any  associational  con- 
nection, or  none,  at  its  own  election.  Hence,  on  all  sides, 
the  territory  of  the  dififerent  bodies  intermingles.  If  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  were  to  govern  all  counsels,  if  brotherly 
love  always  prevailed,  and  if  churches  were  left  alone  to 
determine  for  themselves  their  associational  relations,  no 
trouble  would  grow  out  of  this.  But  from  whatever  cause 
(and  we  make  no  accusation)  the  fact  remains  that  district 
associations  have  been  divided  in  council ;  some  rent  asun- 
der ;  churches  have  been  torn  by  faction,  brethren  alienated, 
and  strife  engendered.  More  than  this — the  saddest  and 
most  lamentable  antagonism  has  been  developed  on  the 
mission  fields.  By  every  consideration  of  our  holy  religion 
this  ought  not  to  be. 

"We  venture  to  express  the  conviction  that  with  the 
overwhelming  majority  of  the  churches  and  brethren  in  all 
five  general  bodies,  there  is  love  for  each  other,  and  no 
desire  for  any  such  conflict.  On  the  contrary,  they  deplore 
this  evil  and  are  impatient  of  its  continuance.  Now,  there- 
fore, we  recommend  that  this  General  Association  send  fra- 
ternal greetings  to  all  general  bodies  in  this  State  in  corre- 
spondence w'itli  us,  and  respectfully  request  of  each  a  com- 
mittee of  five  to  meet  with  a  similar  committee  from  other 
bodies  to  confer  in  the  Spirit  of  Christ  about  this  matter. 
And,  furthermore,  that  these  committees,  if  agreeable  to 
other  bodies  sending  them,  confer  together  on  state  unifica- 
tion under  the  heads:  i.  Is  it  desirable  or  expedient? 
2.  Is  it  practicable?  3.  If  so,  under  what  form?  And 
that  our  committees  be  instructed  to  report  back  to  this 
body  for  action." 

This  was  the  most  distinct  and  definite  action  in 
the    matter    of    the    restoration    of    cordial    relations    that 


THROES  BEFORE  DELIVERANCE        281 

had  yet  been  taken.  What  had  been  needed  all  along 
was  for  some  one  who  could  tower  above  others  in  the 
spirit  of  conciliation,  and  take  the  step  which  Dr.  B.  H. 
Carroll  took  at-  this  time.  Thousands  were  ready  to  re- 
spond, and  only  a  few  were  disposed  to  disregard  an  over- 
ture so  fraternal,  so  cordial,  so  unqualified  in  its  tone.  This 
was  a  token  for  good,  and  was  indicative  of  the  fact  that 
conditions  throughout  the  State  were  growing  better.  From 
every  quarter  of  the  State  came  news  of  progress.  Great 
meetings  were  being  held  here  and  there,  and  churches, 
which  a  few  years  ago  were  obscure,  had  become  prominent 
in  the  cause  of  Christ.  The  immediate  effect  of  the  revival- 
ism throughout  the  State  was  to  soften  the  asperities  which 
had  so  long  prevailed,  to  the  estrangement  of  brethren  and 
the  rending  of  churches  and  associations. 

The  seemingly  impossible  had  been  undertaken.  Rival 
interests  were  on  the  field,  and  who  would  be  willing  to  sur- 
render for  the  sake  of  the  cause,  was  the  question  which  dis- 
turbed not  a  few.  But  the  report  of  Doctor  Carroll  was  as 
leaven  among  the  Baptists  of  the  State.  It  was  the  subject 
of  universal  comment,  and  had  set  in  motion  a  tide  of  senti- 
ment which  nothing  could  stay.  That  sentiment  was  destined 
to  grow  with  the  rising  tide  of  prosperity  and  the  develop- 
ing spirit  on  the  part  of  the  denomination. 

When  the  General  Association  held  its  next  annual  meet- 
ing at  Paris  in  1884,  the  spirit  of  the  body  was  saturated 
with  the  sentiment  expressed  in  the  manly  report  of  the  year 
before.  The  body  was  duly  organized  by  the  election  of 
R.  C.  Buckner,  president;  B.  H.  Carroll,  S.  B.  Maxey  and 
J.  H.  Boyet,  vice  presidents ;  S.  J.  Anderson,  recording  sec- 
retary, and  A.  J.  Holt,  corresponding  secretary.  The  sum- 
mary of  the  work  was  inspiring,  the  best  report  being  sub- 
mitted that  had  ever  been  presented  to  the  body.  Many 
baptisms  were  reported,  twenty-four  churches  and  twenty- 
four  Sunday-schools  had  been  organized,  and  $8,534.33  had 
been  collected  on  the  field,  which,  when  added  to  the  $3,450 
appropriated  by  the  Home  Mission  Board,  gave  a  sum  suffi- 
cient with  which  to  do  much  efficient  work.  It  was  reported 
at  this  session  that  the  balance  due  by  the  Association  on 
the  endowment  fund  of  Waco  University  was  in  hand,  and 


282  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

that  the  proposed  $60,000  was  now  raised.  This  balance 
was  raised  in  cash  and  subscriptions  on  the  spot  by  Rev. 
S.  L.  Morris,  who  during  the  preceding  year  had  been  made 
the  financial  agent  of  Waco  University.  The  accomplish- 
ment of  this  end  led  the  Association,  under  the  suggestion 
of  A.  J.  Holt,  the  corresponding  secretary,  to  seek  to  raise 
$20,000  for  missions  during  the  next  year. 

There  was  a  division  of  sentiment  respecting  the  coming 
meeting  of  the  State  Convention  at  Waxahachie.  This  was 
considerably  within  the  territory  of  the  General  Association, 
and  while  by  some  it  was  intended  somewhat  as  a  banter 
and  was  therefore  a  menace,  by  others  it  was  considered 
an  indication  of  the  coming  unification.  No  matter,  noth- 
ing more  clearly  showed  the  uselessness  and  folly  of  denomi- 
national division  than  the  fact  that  the  convention  should 
meet  at  Waxahachie.  Here  and  there,  along  the  invisible 
borders  of  the  several  bodies,  there  was  constant  overlap- 
ping, and  this  had  been  going  on  for  years.  While  it  fur- 
nished occasions  for  gloating  on  the  part  of  some,  it  was 
regarded  as  unfortunate  by  most  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas. 

In  the  autumn  of  1884  the  State  Convention  met  at 
Waxahachie.  All  the  officers  of  the  preceding  session  were 
re-chosen  for  this  session.  H  there  were  those  who  rejoiced 
in  the  fact  that  "the  enemy's  country"  was  pierced  to  the 
center  by  this  meeting,  as  it  was  near  the  heart  of  the 
asserted  territory  of  the  General  Association,  there  were 
many  others  who  regarded  the  conditions  as  ominous  unless 
reconciliation  should  speedily  follow.  Certainly,  if  such 
invasion  meant  victory,  it  was  bought  at  the  price  of  de- 
nominational harmony.  This  was  the  view  taken  of  the 
situation  by  the  more  serious.  There  had  been  appropriated 
to  the  work  during  the  year  $19,000,  which  had  been  dis- 
tributed among  thirty-five  missionaries.  It  was  reported 
at  this  session  that  the  North  Texas  Missionary  Convention 
had  become  consolidated  with  the  State  Convention,  and 
that  the  Texas  Central  Convention  continued  its  co-opera- 
tion.   These  were  but  foretokens  of  the  coming  union. 

This  was  the  last  session  that  Dr.  C.  C.  Chaplin  was 
ever  permitted  to  attend.  Before  the  meeting  of  the  next 
session  he  died,  and  so  did  Dr.  W.  C.  Crane.    The  place  left 


THEOES  BEFOEE  DELIVERANCE        383 

vacant  by  the  death  of  President  Crane  at  Baylor  University 
was  temporarily  filled  by  Rev.  Reddin  Andrews.  More  and 
more  the  situation  was  being  simplified,  and  God  was  pre- 
paring the  way  for  unification.  The  death  of  President 
Crane,  while  universally  regretted,  saved  him  from  much 
anguish  of  spirit,  which  would  have  been  inevitable  because 
of  the  final  agreement  to  combine  the  educational  interests 
of  the  Baptists  of  the  State.  He  had  struggled  with  all  the 
power  which  was  his  to  save  Baylor  University,  had  spent 
his  little  fortune  in  the  effort,  and  had  he  come  to  the  final 
consummation,  it  would  have  been  unspeakably  embar- 
rassing. 

Thus  ended  the  year  1884 — a  year  crowned  with  success 
and  full  of  hope  for  the  future.  The  dawn  of  a  brighter 
day  was  now  plainly  visible  through  the  clouds  of  difficulties 
which  still  overhung-  the  future. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

AN    liKA    OF    RECONCILIATION    AND    I'KO(  IKKSS. 

Uefore  entering  on  a  review  of  the  eventful  year  of 
1885  and  of  the  more  stirring  periods  which  followed,  let 
lis  glance  over  the  field  and  bring  within  the  range  of  vision 
the  situation  of  the  Baptist  cause  in  Texas.  For  the  last 
several  years  the  cause  had  been  moving  at  a  marvelous 
pace.  In  spite  of  division  and  of  collisions,  great  success  had 
crowned  the  efforts  of  God's  people.  By  methods  direct  and 
indirect,  He  was  guiding  the  people  toward  a  common 
ground,  where  they  could  once  more  strike  hands  in  fellow- 
ship, and,  with  heart  responsive  to  heart,  move  abreast  to 
the  consummation  of  great  epds.  Tremendous  problems  lay 
in  the  years  of  the  future,  and  immense  labor  and  sacrifice 
would  be  necessary  to  their  solution.  Could  the  Baptists 
have  foreseen  that  which  awaited  them,  the  stoutest  hearts 
would  have  quailed,  but  "it  is  the  glory  of  the  Lord  to  con- 
ceal a  thing."  If  there  were  enormous  undertakings,  there  is 
the  promise  which  spans  with  golden  archway  the  future  of 
(jod's  people — "Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway." 

The  Baptists  of  Texas  had  already  become  a  great  peo- 
ple. From  the  eastern  boundary  to  the  plains  of  the  west, 
and  from  the  Panhandle  to  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
they  had  aggressively  planted  themselves,  and  had  infused 
their  influence  into  the  great  mass  of  population  which  had 
settled  within  the  confines  of  the  State.  Representatives 
from  their  ranks  had  been  called  to  the  highest  stations  of 
State,  were  among  the  chief  law-makers  of  the  nation,  and 
wore  the  ermine  on  the  judicial  bench.  Many  were  among 
the  sharers  of  the  great  material  prosperity  which  had  come 
to  the  people  of  Texas.  Their  pulpits  were  manned  by  men, 
the  preaching  of  many  of  whom  would  have  been  accounted 
superior  in  any  quarter  of  the  English-speaking  world.    Dis- 

284  " 


RECONCILIATION  AND  PROGRESS  285 

tinguished  educators  were  theirs  also.  Institutions  of  learn- 
ing had  been  established  and  maintained  with  zeal  and  abil- 
ity from  the  birth-year  of  the  State.  In  the  numerous  and 
growing  centers  of  population  they  had  founded  and  main- 
tained churches  of  commanding  power.  Throughout  the 
broad  rural  region  of  Texas  theirs  was  the  most  popular  of 
the  Christian  denominations  of  the  State.  Far  out  beyond 
the  boundaries  of  civilization,  among  the  rude  ranchmen  of 
the  west,  their  intrepid  missionaries  had  gone,  and  Bap- 
tists were  in  the  advance  of  an  expanding  civilization  towkrd 
the  further  west. 

What  more  could  they  ask  as  means  and  encouragement 
to  progress?  It  were  sheer  madness  not  to  recognize  and 
prize  the  boundless  blessings  which  God  had  given.  Yet 
they  were  severed  into  discordant  segments.  As  is  too  often 
the  case,  some  were  contending  more  for  victory  than  for 
truth.  It  not  unfrequently  happens  that  there  is  slowness 
in  the  willingness  of  a  jealous  mind  to  relinquish  its  favorite 
error  for  a  conflicting  truth.  Men  needed  to  come  humbly 
on  their  knees  for  light.  A  house  divided  against  itself  can- 
not stand.  Without  a  united  front,  irrevocable  disintegration 
must  ensue.  To  concede  all,  to  ground  prejudice  and 
predilection  for  God's  sake,  in  order  to  achieve  the  most  for 
Him,  was  the  demand  of  the  times.  Such  was  the  policy 
wisdom  would  recommend,  such  the  precaution  prudence 
would  suggest,  such  the  conclusion  for  which  genuine  devo- 
tion clamored.  For  years,  pious  men  and  women  had  been 
praying  that  this  consummation  might  be  reached.  That 
clamor  and  tumult  might  give  place  to  peace,  good-will 
and  co-operative  fellowship,  was  the  devout  wish  of  thou- 
sands. Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  had  sounded  the  bugle  note  of 
hope  just  two  years  before,  and  it  was  equally  the  knell  of 
doom  to  prevailing  disorder. 

We  turn  now  into  the  current  of  events. 

The  chief  difficulty  which  had  for  years  lain  in  the  path 
of  consolidation  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas  was  that  of  its  lit- 
erary institutions.  For  many  years  Baylor  University  at 
Independence  had  been  the  cherished  interest  of  the  Bap- 
tists, especially  of  southern  Texas.  The  fortimes  and  the 
life-blood  of  many  had  gone  into  that  institution.     It  was 


C.  H.  BRIGGS,  DEACON  FIUST  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  DALLAS,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Indiana  ;  came  to  Dallas,  Texas,  1882  ;  was  Supt.  of  First 
Church  S.  S. :  member  Board  of  Trustees  Baptist  Sanitarium  and  Board 
of  Directors,  B.  G.  C.  Is  known  in  every  good  work  in  his  church  and  in 
Baptist  work  in  the  state.) 


EECONCILIATION   AND    PROGEESS  287 

the  Mecca  of  their  hopes  and  joys.  With  others  in  the  cen- 
tral and  northern  parts  of  the  State,  Waco  University  had 
been  for  a  long  period  of  time,  the  one  interest  around 
which  centered  the  affections  of  the  Baptists  of  those  sec- 
tions. But  nothing  was  clearer  than  that  Baylor  University 
would  have  to  succumb  to  the  inevitable.  Every  possible 
effort  had  been  made  to  prop  its  tottering  fortunes  in  its 
original  location,  but  the  adverse  conditions  of  years  had 
grown  gradually  worse,  till  hope  had  almost  ceased  to  be  a 
virtue.  While  it  had  steadily  declined,  despite  the  herculean 
efforts  made  to  save  it,  Waco  University  had  just  as  stead- 
ily grown.  The  growing  contrast  in  the  public  mind  was 
altogether  unfavorable  to  the  school  at  Independence. 
President  Crane  had  died  while  bravely  struggling  against 
the  tide,  and  Rev.  Reddin  Andrews,  who  had  become  a  tem- 
porary successor,  reported  that  only  sixty-four  students  had 
been  enrolled  during  the  session  following  the  death  of  the 
lamented  Crane,  with  an  average  attendance  of  forty.  No 
arrangements  had  been  made  for  a  faculty  for  the  ensuing 
session,  as  there  were  no  provisions  for  the  support  of  the 
school. 

On  June  3,  a  joint  session  of  the  boards  of  Baylor  Uni- 
versity and  of  the  school  for  women  was  held,  at  which 
meeting,  Harry  Haynes  offered  a  vigorous  resolution  of  pro- 
test against  the  removal  of  the  schools.  The  question  of 
removal  was  referred  to  a  joint  session  of  the  boards  of  the 
two  schools,  to  be  held  at  Brenham  on  June  16.  At  this 
meeting  Dr.  William  Howard,  of  Austin,  presented  a  resolu- 
tion which  recognized  the  necessity  of  the  removal  of  the 
two  schools  from  Independence  as  a  painful  fact.  This  gave 
occasion  for  much  animated  debate,  which  finally  resulted 
in  the  reference  of  the  whole  subject  to  the  Baptist  State 
Convention,  which  was  to  meet  during  the  following  Octo- 
ber at  Lampasas.  The  cleavage  once  made  in  this  difficult 
and  embarrassing  question,  the  rest  followed  with  easy, 
logical  sequence.  Until  this  time  there  were  reasons  for  not 
pressing  the  matter,  not  least  among  which  was  the  supreme 
regard  for  Doctor  Crane,  who  in  his  vain  endeavors  to  save 
the  school  had  wrecked  his  health  and  fortune. 

This  movement  was  only  one  among  many,  the  tendency 


288  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

of  wliicli  was  toward  unification.  This  sentiment  got  into 
the  air.  it  was  voiced  from  Hp  to  Hp,  from  ear  to  ear,  and 
rose  Hke  a  tide  over  the  State.  It  began  to  reflect  the  state- 
ment in  the  eventful  report  by  Dr.  15.  H.  Carroll,  to 
which  report  reference  has  already  been  had  several  times, 
that  the  rank  and  file  of  the  denomination  were  kept  in 
estrangement  because  of  certain  discordant  agencies 
operating  here  and  there  in  certain  quarters  of  the  State. 
So  soon  as  the  rift  came  in  the  clouds  of  dissension,  it  was 
hailed  with  joy  by  the  churches  in  all  parts  of  the  State. 

The  Baptist  General  Association  met  at  Ennis  in  July, 
1885.  There  was  a  large  and  representative  attendance 
from  ninety-one  churches  and  twenty  associations.  Doctor 
lUickner,  whom  the  Association  stood  ready  to  re-elect  the 
presiding  officer  again,  desiring  most  of  all  that  the  jjros- 
pective  harmony  should  be  promoted,  and  who,  as  has  been 
shown,  sought  to  bring  this  about  several  years  before,  de- 
clined re-election  and  nominated  Honorable  L.  L.  Foster 
for  this  position,  and  he  was  chosen  by  acclamation. 
B.  H.  Carroll,  J.  H.  Boyet  and  H.  M.  Furman  were  elected 
vice-presidents ;  S.  J.  Anderson,  recording  secretary,  and 
A.  J.  Holt,  corresponding  secretary.  From  the  outset  the 
meeting  was  one  of  thrilling  harmony  and  spiritual  enthusi- 
asm, The  results  of  the  work  of  the  year  far  exceeded  that 
of  any  previous  year.  Fifty-seven  missionaries  of  the  Asso- 
ciation had  baptized  829,  received  by  letter  1,163,  organized 
fifty-one  churches  and  eighty-nine  Sunday-schools,  consti- 
tuted ninety-five  prayer-meetings,  and  had  gleaned  from  the 
field  in  incidental  collections  $3,514.72.  Secretary  Holt  had 
collected  personally  $9,166.88.  During  the  session  $700  was 
pledged  for  the  Brazilian  Mission.  The  following  resolu- 
tions were  ofifered  by  Dr.  S.  A.  Hayden : 

"Whereas,  The  Baptists  of  Texas,  led,  as  we  believe,  by 
the  Spirit  of  God.  are  seeking  some  practical  basis  of 
fraternal  union  ;  and, 

"Whereas,  We  believe  the  prayer  of  Christ,  that  His 
people  'might  all  be  one,'  is  destined  to  a  com])lete  fulfill- 
ment ;  and, 

"Whereas,  Institutions  of  learning  are  powerful  agents 


EECONCILIATION    AND   PEOGEESS  289 

for  good  or  evil,  as  they  are  directed  by  Christian  or  anti- 
Christian  influences;  and, 

"Whereas,  We  can  only  hope  to  educate  our  youth  by 
providing  facilities  for  attaining  knowledge  equal  to  the 
secular  institutions  of  the  country ;  and, 

"Whereas,  The  securement  of  the  perfect  accord  of  our 
people  in  Texas  centers  largely  upon  our  educational  inter- 
ests ;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  i.  That  in  order  to  remove  any  obstacle 
that  may  be  in  the  way  of  our  future  concert  of  action  in 
advancing  the  I^aptist  cause  in  Texas,  it  is,  in  our  judgment, 
desirable  that  all  our  denominational  institutions  of  learning 
in  Texas  be  united  into  one  Baptist  State  University. 

"2.  That  we,  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Texas, 
pledge  ourselves  to  meet  any  proposition  looking  to  such 
consolidation  of  schools  upon  principles  of  fairness  and 
equality. 

"3.  We  believe  that  we  do  but  express  the  sentiment 
of  the  great  Baptist  family  of  Texas,  as  well  as  provide  for 
the  best  interest  of  the  proposed  consolidated  university  in 
making  it  a  condition  of  such  consolidation,  that  Rufus  C. 
Burleson,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  the  only  survivor  of  the  great  men 
who  have  laid  the  foundation  of  Baptist  education  in  Texas, 
who  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  that  work,  be  made  the 
Chancellor  for  life  of  the  said  consolidated  University,  with 
adequate  salary.  We  believe  also  that  we  do  but  voice  the 
sentiment  of  all  the  Baptists  of  Texas  in  suggesting  that  the 
proposed  consolidated  University  bear  the  honored  name 
of  R.  E.  B.  Baylor. 

"Resolved,  further.  That  we  hereby  appoint  L.  L.  Foster, 
president  of  this  body,  S".  L.  Morris  and  Henry  Furman  a 
committee  to  visit  the  State  Convention  at  Lampasas  and 
inform  that  body  of  the  action  of  this  Association.  That  in 
the  event  a  consolidation  of  schools  shall  not  be  acceptable  to 
the  Convention,  then  we  request  the  board  of  trustees  of 
Waco  University  to  select  some  suitable  site  on  the  hills  near 
Waco  for  the  permanent  establishment  of  Waco  University, 
and  we  pledge  ourselves  to  use  our  best  energies  to  raise 
within  the  next  five  years  an  endowment  of  $500,000  for 
said  University,  and  do  all  in  our  power  to  secure  for  the 


290  ITTSTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

youth  of  Texas  a  Baptist  University  worthy  of  the  name. 
It  is  understood  that  nothing  in  these  resohitions  shall  be 
construed  to  suspend  any  plan  to  collect  endowment  notes 
or  securing  pledges  that  the  Board  may  deem  expedient. 

"Resolved,  That  nothing  in  the  reports  adopted  at  this 
meeting  shall  be  construed  as  in  conflict  with  these  resolu- 
tions." 

These  resolutions  were  promptly  adopted,  and  so  far  as 
the  General  Association  was  concerned,  it  seems  to  have 
gone  to  its  utmost  in  the  resoration  of  harmony  in  the  Bap- 
tist ranks.  In  the  urgency  of  the  plan  proposed,  Doctor 
Hayden  insisted  that  nothing  short  of  harmony  would  ever 
enable  the  Baptists  of  the  state  to  work  out  their  destiny  as 
Providence  seemed  to  have  indicated.  He  pleaded  for  har- 
mony and  consolidation  as  the  two  essential  elements  of  the 
future  success  of  the  Baptists  of  the  State.  The  resolutions 
and  the  addresses  seemed  to  express  all  that  could  be  desired, 
and  served  to  quicken  the  enthusiasm  of  the  body.  Unifica- 
tion became  the  topic  of  the  hour.  Men  talked  of  little  else, 
and  Doctor  Hayden  was  congratulated  on  all  hands  as  being 
a  timely  peace-maker.  It  was  thought  to  be  the  solution  of 
the  difficulties  of  the  prevailing  situation. 

In  order  to  the  fullest  accomplishment  of  the  ends 
sought,  Rev.  T.  S.  Potts  offered  the  following- 

"That  it  is  the  sense  of  the  Association  that  under  the 
existing  circumstances  the  interest  of  our  denomination  in 
the  state  would  be  best  subserved  by  the  existence  of  one 
general  body,  and  that  this  Association  is  willing  to  co-oper- 
ate with  other  general  bodies  for  the  accomplishment  of  this 
end  on  terms  honorable  and  equal  to  all." 

This  was  also  adopted  with  marked  enthusiasm,  when 
J.  R.  Malone  offered  the  following: 

"Resolved,  That  the  committee  previously .  appointed, 
viz.,  L.  L.  Foster,  S.  L.  Morris  and  Henry  M.  Furman,  be 
instructed  to  procure  the  revision  of  the  charter  of  Waco 
University,  and  that  its  property  and  management  shall  be 
vested  in  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Texas." 

The  rapidity  with  which  the  action  was  taken  by  the  Gen- 
eral Association  in  urging  the  claims  of  unification  suggested 
to  some  sedate  minds  that  after  all  there  might  lurk  in  the 


RECONCILIATION    AND    PROGRESS  291 

proposed  action  of  the  body  that  which  might,  in  the  pos- 
sible tension  of  sentiment  in  certain  minds,  be  regarded  as 
wearing  a  front  of  hostility  rather  than  one  of  amity. 
Whereupon,  Doctor  Hayden,  in  order  to  allay  any  possible 
misconstruction  of  the  action  of  the  Association,  offered  the 
following : 

"Whereas,  It  has  been  said  that  the  resolutions  passed  by 
this  body,  proposing  a  union  of  our  denominational  schools 
in  Texas,  contain  a  threat  to  the  State  Convention  if  they 
reject  the  proposition  ;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  the  intention  of  the  resolution  referred 
to  was  to  assure  the  friends  of  Waco  University  that  there 
was  no  design  to  injure  that  institution,  but  to  guarantee  it 
against  any  loss  that  might  arise  from  delay  in  collecting  the 
endowment,  and  the  conditions  are  not  intended  to  dictate 
to  the  Convention." 

In  order  further  to  guard  against  any  possible  friction 
or  misunderstanding,  R.  T.  Hanks  offered  the  following : 

"Resolved,  That  the  committee  to  the  State  Convention 
go  uninstructed  as  to  the  details  of  consolidation,  and  that 
they  do  not  incorporate  in  their  communication  to  that  body 
any  of  the  resolutions  except  those  on  the  main  point  of 
consolidation." 

The  General  Association  adjourned  to  meet  at  Pittsburg 
the  next  year,  but  in  the  providence  of  God,  this  one,  at 
Ennis,  proved  to  be  the  last  one  ever  held,  excepting  a 
called  meeting  of  the  body,  of  which  we  shall  learn  later. 
A  whirlwind  of  events  followed  the  gathering  at  Ennis. 
The  news  of  its  action  was  heralded  over  the  state,  and  the 
conciliatory  resolutions  of  Doctor  Hayden,  so  full  of  all 
that  was  desired  by  the  denomination  at  large,  were  hailed 
as  a  harbinger  of  peace  and  good  will.  A  commotion  of 
favorable  sentiment  swept  the  State  from  end  to  end,  and 
Hayden  was  thought  of  as  the  messenger  bearing  the  olive 
branch  of  peace  and  love.  The  approaching  State  Con- 
vention was  confronted  by  an  obligation  which  it  could  not 
disregard,  even  if  it  was  so  disposed.  There  was  a  strong 
current  in  all  directions  setting  toward  thorough  reconcilia- 
tion, and  it  became  the  universal  topic  throughout  the  State. 
In  July  following  the  adjournment  of  the  General  Associa- 


292  IIISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

tion,  the  East  Texas  Convention  dissolved  in  order  to  merge 
widi  the  State  Convention.  Similar  action  was  taken 
by  tlic  Central  'J'cxas  Convention,  the  North  Texas  Con- 
vention ha\inj4-  ])re\i()usly  taken  the  same  stcjjs  two  years 
before. 

All  eyes  were  now  turned  toward  the  State  Convention 
which  was  to  meet  at  Lampasas  in  October.    As  the  time  ap- 


REV.  T.  .J.  DODSo.N,   SKCUIX,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Miss.,  Jan.  22,  1854:  educated  Miss.  Col.  and  Baylor  Univ., 
graduating  from  latter  with  A.  B.  degree :  pastor  at  Seguin  27  years ; 
has  baptized  more  people  and  conducted  more  funerals  than  any  preacher 
who  ever  lived  in  his  town  or  county ;  resigned  at  Seguin  because  he 
thought  a  younger  pastor  who  could  speak  both  Eiiglish  and  German 
should  be  chosen  there;  is  now  devoting  all  his  time  to  country  churches.) 


proached  the  interest  in  the  coming  convention  increased. 
Many  resolved  to  attend  who  had  never  been  at  a  session  of 
the  body.  What  w^ould  the  parent  body  do?  It  semed  im- 
possible for  it  to  disregard  overtures  so  urgent,  and,  as  it 
seemed  to  many,  so  imperative.  Consequently  there  was 
a  large  attendance  at  Lampasas.     There  were  messengers 


RECONCILIATION   AND    PEOGRESS  293 

present  from  one  hundred  and  ten  churches  and  twenty  as- 
sociations. Two  causes  conspired  to  bring  together  so  large 
a  number.  One  was  the  activity  of  the  representatives  of 
the  State  Board  during  the  year,  in  exciting  interest  in  the 
general  work,  and  the  other  was  that  of  the  action  of  other 
bodies  favoring  unity  of  interest,  and  the  prevailing  desire 
to  see  what  the  action  of  the  parent  body  would  be.  Both 
the  president  of  the  convention,  Doctor  Chaplin,  and  the 
first  vice-president,  Doctor  Crane,  having  died  during  the 
preceding  year,  the  body  was  called  to  order  by  Doctor 
Stribling.  The  organization  resulted  in  the  election  of 
Doctor  F.  M.  Law,  president;  Reddin  Andrews,  M.  V.. 
Smith,  and  J.  H.  Stribling,  vice-presidents ;  O.  H.  P.  Gar- 
rett, recording  secretary,  with  M.  P.  Matheny,  as  assistant. 
George  B.  Davis  was  retained  as  treasurer,  and  Doctor  O. 
C.  Pope,  having  retired  from  the  corresponding  secretary- 
ship. Rev.  W.  R.  Maxwell  was  chosen  in  his  place. 

The  year  had  been  a  most  trying  one  financially,  and 
yet  Secretary  Pope  was  able  to  report  large  collections  by 
himself  and  the  missionaries  on  the  field.  He  also  reported 
that  the  Baptist  meeting  house  at  Monterey,  Mexico,  had 
been  finished  and  furnished  at  a  cost  of  $5,175.54.  The 
enterprise  was  without  a  cent  of  indebtedness.  The  first 
Baptist  meeting  house  in  Mexico  was  thus  built  exclusively 
by  Texas  money.  Doctor  Pope  had  conceived  the  under- 
taking, and  had  carried  it  to  completion  by  his  own  exer- 
tions. It  was  with  regret  that  he  gave  up  the  work  at  this 
stage,  but  a  broader  field  had  been  offered  him  in  connection 
with  the  Home  Mission  Society,  of  New  York,  and  he  had 
accepted  it.  In  taking  leave  of  the  work  in  Texas,  he  says 
in  his  annual  report:  "Never  had  man,  in  any  service,  a 
grander  constituency,  a  more  harmonious  board,  or  a  more 
godly  or  self-sacrificing  corps  of  workers.  What  success 
has  been  attained,  has  been,  in  the  main,  due  to  these."  His 
retirement  from  the  work  was  the  occasion  of  general  re- 
gret. During  the  year,  forty-six  missionaries  had  been  em- 
ployed, five  of  whom  were  German  preachers,  who  labored 
among  their  own  people.  The  Convention  gave  expression 
of  its  gratitude  in  resolutions  respecting  the  services  of 
Doctor  Pope,  and  also  for  the  liberal  appropriations  made 


294  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

by  the  Home  Mission  Board  and  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety. 

Interest  in  missions  was  shown  by  pledges  of  $8,000  as 
the  result  of  a  mass  meeting  on  Sunday.  In  addition  to  this 
amount  for  State  Missions,  $778  was  pledged  General  Haw- 
thorne for  Foreign  Missions.  Appropriate  memorial  exer- 
cises were  held  in  memory  of  Doctors  Crane  and  Chaplin, 
both  of  whom  had  died  since  the  session  of  the  Convention, 
next  preceding.  In  response  to  the  expression  from  the 
General  Association  favorable  to  the  consolidation  of  the 
educational  interests,  the  Convention  appointed  a  committee 
to  confer  with  the  one  sent  from  the  General  Association 
after  the  adoption  of  the  following : 

"Whereas,  A  desire  has  been  widely  expressed  for  the 
consolidation  of  our  missionary  bodies  in  this  state,  there- 
fore 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  con- 
fer with  any  like  committee  that  may  have  been,  or  may 
hereafter  be  appointed  by  the  other  bodies,  and  report  some 
suitable  expression  from  this  body  on  that  subject." 

In  addition  to  this  resolution  was  another : 

"Whereas,  There  has  been  much  agitation  in  the  bounds 
of  this  Convention  on  the  subject  of  the  removal  of  Baylor 
University  from  Independence ;  therefore 

"Resolved,  That  this  matter  be  placed  before  the  Con- 
vention for  the  action  of  said  body  on  the  question." 

A  large  committee  was  appointed  to  take  under  advise- 
ment the  feasibility  of  the  removal  of  the  two  schools  from 
Independence.  In  due  time  the  committee  recommended 
that :  "These  institutions  be  removed  to  some  more  eligible 
locality,  and  that  a  committee  of  fifteen  be  appointed  to 
take  this  whole  matter  of  removal  and  location,  and  all  ques- 
tions that  may  arise  pertaining  thereto,  etc.,  in  conjunction 
with  the  boards  of  the  two  schools,  and  that  they  at  once 
take  such  steps  as  may  be  necessary  to  the  earliest  practica- 
ble accomplishment  of  this  important  work,  and  that  the 
schools  remain  at  Independence,  at  least  this  year,  but  that 
everything  .should  be  ready  for  opening  at  the  new  location, 
or  locations,  by  September,  1886,  and  that  the  present  build- 
ings, grounds,  libraries,  apparatus  and   furniture  be  ten- 


EECONCILIATION   AND    PKOGEESS  295 

dered  the  Union  Association,  for  educational  purposes,  and 
maintained  at  Independence,  and  that  the  endowment  al- 
ready raised  be  subject  to  the  will  of  the  donors  to  remain 
with  the  schools  at  Independence  or  be  carried  with  the 
University  and  College  to  the  new  location,  as  each  donor 
may  elect.  Any  endowment  of  the  donors,  any  of  whom 
may  be  dead,  shall  be  left  with  the  schools  at  Independence." 

The  report  was  signed  by  fourteen  of  the  committee 
appointed.  The  committee  to  which  was  referred  the  ques- 
tion of  the  consolidation  of  the  schools,  reported  through 
the  chairman,  A.  W.  Dunn,  as  follows : 

"Your  committee  on  consolidation  of  the  educational 
interests  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  beg  leave  to  report  that 
it  is  the  sense  of  this  Convention  that  the  consolidation  of 
our  institutions  of  learning  is  desirable,  and  that  we  will 
consider  any  proposition  that  may  be  presented  on  the  basis 
of  fairness  and  equality  to  all  parties  interested,  and  we  rec- 
ommend the  reference  of  this  question  to  the  committee  al- 
ready appointed  in  connection  with  the  Boards  of  Trustees 
of  Baylor  University  and  Baylor  Female  College." 

All  of  this  was  cordially  acquiesced  in  bv  the  Conven- 
tion, and  a  brighter  day  had  come  to  Texas  Baptists.  The 
news  of  this  action  on  the  part  of  the  Convention  was  sped 
over  the  country,  as  Baptists  throughout  the  South  had 
shared  profoundly  in  the  tension  of  sentiment  so  long  exist- 
ing in  the  denomination  in  this  State.  An  adjournment  of 
the  Convention  was  hurried  by  reason  of  a  terrible  epidemic 
of  dengue  fever  at  Lampasas,  the  disease  having  invaded  al- 
most every  family.  Till  almost  midnight  of  Monday,  the 
Convention  prolonged  its  session,  and  finally  adjourned 
without  the  completion  of  its  work,  leaving  unfinished  items 
to  the  Board  of  Directors.  That  Board  held  a  brief  meeting 
the  following  morning,  and  adjourned  to  meet  at  Brenham 
two  weeks  later,  in  conjunction  with  the  committee  of  fif- 
teen already  appointed,  together  with  the  boards  of  the  two 
schools  at  Independence. 

To  this  session  of  the  body  there  came  as  a  mes- 
senger from  the  Gatesville  church,  J.  B.  Cranfill, 
whose  paper,  The  Gatesville  Advance,  was  gaining  much 
prestige  as  an  exponent  of  the  temperance   reform.     He 


296  HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

was  made  chairman  of  the  committee  on  the  Hquor  traffic 
and  presented  a  ringing  report  thereon,  which  was  unani- 
mously adopted.  It  was  the  first  state-wide  liaptist  body- 
he  had  ever  attended. 

The  somewhat  precipitate  adjournment  of  the  Conven- 
tion two  weeks  before,  at  Lampasas,  imposed  on  the  Board 
of  Directors  now  met  at  Brenham,  the  duty  of  completing 
the  unfinished  work  of  the  Convention.  Accordingly  a 
vigorous  campaign  for  State  ]\Iissions  was  projected  on  a 
basis  commensurate  with  the  increasing  demands  of  evan- 
gelization in  Texas.  The  Directors  also  consummated  ar- 
rangements for  the  creation  and  establishment  of  a  new 
board,  known  as  the  Board  of  Relief  for  Disabled  Ministers, 
suitable  provision  for  which  action  had  been  made  by  reso- 
lution, in  the  Convention.  A  number  of  aged  ministerial 
veterans,  the  vigor  of  whose  manhood  had  been  spent  in 
active  service,  always  with  limited  compensation,  were  now 
in  straitened  circumstances.  To  provide  for  their  wants 
w^as  the  object  of  the  creation  of  the  new  board,  which  was 
located  at  Lampasas  with  Rev.  H.  M.  Burroughs  as  the 
superintendent. 

The  odds  and  ends  of  the  Convention  being  completed, 
the  cjuestion  of  the  removal  of  the  schools  was  next  con- 
sidered. Acting  separately,  the  trustees  of  the  two  schools 
acquiesced  in  the  expressed  will  of  the  Convention.  As 
the  General  Association  had  taken  the  initial  step  toward 
the  consolidation  of  the  schools,  that  body  was  deferred  to 
by  those  assembled  at  Brenham,  and  it  was  requested  to  go 
further  and  appoint  a  committee  to  co-operate  with  a  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  Convention,  considering  meanwhile 
bids  for  a  location.  L.  L.  Foster,  president  of  the  General 
Association,  promptly  called  a  special  meeting  of  that  body 
to  be  held  at  Dallas  on  November  25,  1885.  When  that 
body  met,  it  proceeded  to  appoint  a  committee  each  for  the 
consideration  of  the  subjects  respectively  of  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  schools,  and  of  the  general  bodies  of  the  Baptists 
of  the  State.  December  9,  of  the  same  year,  was  named  as 
the  time,  and  Temple,  selected  as  the  place  of  meeting. 

At  the  time  and  place  named,  the  two  committees  met. 
twenty-five  from  the  State  Convention,  and  thirty-one  from 


EECONCILIATION   AND    PEOGEESS  297 

the  General  Association.  A  formal  organization  was  en- 
tered into,  and  R.  T.  Hanks  was  made  temporary  chairman, 
and  G.  W.  Smith,  secretary.  Later,  a  permanent  organiza- 
tion was  effected  of  which  W.  H.  Trollinger  became  the 
presiding  officer,  and  M.  V.  Smith,  permanent  secretary. 
Sub-committees  of  five  from  each  of  the  two  general  com- 
mittees were  appointed  to  report  on  a  basis  of  permanent 
consolidation  of  the  two  general  bodies.  The  following  re- 
port was  the  result  : 

"We,  your  committee,  believing  that  the  consolidation  of 
the  general  bodies  is  desirable,  recommend : 

"i.  That  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  Texas  be 
consolidated  with  the  Baptist  State  Convention  of  Texas. 

"2.  That  the  name  of  the  consolidated  body  shall  be, 
The  Baptist  General  Convention  of  Texas. 

"3.  That  the  basis  of  representation  of  the  first  meeting 
of  the  consolidated  body  shall  be  the  same  as  heretofore — - 
those  coming  from  the  State  Convention  territory,  enter  the 
consolidated  body  on  the  same  terms  on  which  they  for- 
merly entered  the  State  Convention,  and  those  from  the 
General  Association  have  membership  upon  the  same  terms 
on  which  they  formerly  entered  that  body. 

"4.  That  the  mission  work  be  continued,  as  heretofore, 
till  the  first  meeting,  under  the  direction  of  the  two  general 
bodies  respectively,  and  be  reported  to  that  meeting. 

"5.  That  the  first  meeting  of  the  consolidated  body  be 
held  at  Waco,  beginning  on  Tuesdav  after  the  first  Sundav, 
in  July,  1886." 

The  following  resolution  was  offered  by  Doctor  S.  A. 
Hayden  and  adopted : 

"Resolved,  That  the  phraseology  used  in  the  consolida- 
tion of  the  two  general  bodies,  was  an  accommodation  to  the 
legal  status  of  affairs,  and  not  in  any  sense  to  be  construed 
as  an  invasion  of  the  equality  of  the  two  bodies  entering  into 
the  consolidation." 

A  charter  was  afterward  procured  in  accordance  with 
the  articles  of  consolidation. 

Necessary  steps  having  been  .taken  for  the  merging  of 
the  two  bodies  into  one,  the  next  important  step  was  in  the 
direction  of  the  unification  of  the  two  schools.     In  order  to 


298  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

do  this,  five  from  each  of  the  general  committees  were  ap- 
pointed as  a  subcommittee  to  formulate  a  plan  of  action. 
From  the  Convention  committee  there  were  appointed,  C.  R. 
Breedlove,  J.  B.  Link,  M.  V.  Smith,  R.  J.  Sledge,  and  F. 
M.  Law.  From  the  General  Association,  L.  L.  Foster,  R.  C. 
Biickner,  J.  L.  Whittle,  W.  B.  Dunn,  and  B.  H.  Carroll. 
The  result  was  the  following  report : 

"i.    That  Waco  and  Baylor  Universities  be  consolidated. 

"2.  That  the  name  of  the  school  shall  be  Baylor  Univer- 
sity. 

"3.  That  Baylor  University  be  located  at  Waco ;  and  we 
further  agree  that  the  female  department  continue  there  as 
it  now  exists,  provided  that  Waco  give  a  bonus  (a)  of  the 
old  grounds  and  buildings  of  Waco  University;  (b)  the 
$60,000  already  secured  for  an  endowment;  (c)  $45,000 
additional  building  fund,  and  (d)  twenty  acres  of  land  suit- 
able for  a  new  site  for  the  University;  provided,  further, 
that  at  the  expiration  of  ten  years,  the  continuance  of  the 
system  of  co-education,  at  Waco,  be  determined  by  a  ma- 
jority of  the  consolidated  general  body  to  which  the  institu- 
tion, with  its  funds  and  property,  shall  belong. 

"4.  That  as  very  many  Baptists  oppose  co-education, 
Baylor  Female  College  be  located  at  some  other  central 
point,  the  place  where  located,  to  give  a  bonus  at  least  in 
suitable  grounds  and  buildings,  and  that  Baylor  Female 
College,  then  located,  be  also  the  property  of  the  consoli- 
dated general  body. 

'  "5.  That  the  endowment  of  the  present  Baylor  Univer- 
sity go  to  Waco  with  the  new  Baylor  University,  according 
to  the  terms  agreed  upon  by  the  State  Convention,  and  pub- 
lished in  those  Minutes. 

"6.  That  the  act  of  locating  Baylor  Female  College  be 
referred  to  the  following  persons:  F.  M.  Law,  A.  W, 
Dunn,  H.  W.  Waters,  C.  R.  Breedlove,  G.  W.  Capps,  J.  B. 
Link,  R.  J.  Sledge,  Reddin  Andrews,  O.  H.  P.  Garrett,  M. 
V.  Smith,  Harrv  Havnes,  G.  W.  Breedlove,  Hosea  Garrett, 
A.  W.  Mclver,'  William  Howard,  J.  H.  Stribling,  S.  A. 
Beauchamp,  W.  R.  Maxwell,  C.  C.  Garrett  and  S.  F.  Styles." 

The  way  now  seemed  clear  to  complete  harmony.  For 
many  years  men  had  contended  honestly  for  that  which  to 


KECONCILIATION   AND   PEOGEESS  299 

them  seemed  best,  and  yet  they  had  encountered  forces  dia- 
metrically opposed,  but  just  as  honest  in  purpose.  This  had 
occasioned  discontent  on  the  part  of  yet  other  classes  which 
had  sloughed  off,  and  formed  separate  organizations.  These 
colliding  movements  occasioned  strife,  and  in  not  a  few  in- 
stances, bitterness.  Under  such  conditions,  the  judgments  of 
good  men  were  beclouded,  and  their  opinions  warped.  Un- 
consciously, under  circumstances  like  these,  men  are  some- 
times swayed  by  a  desire  for  victory  rather  than  for  the 
truth.  Their  vision  is  blurred  by  the  smoke  of  battle,  and 
they  yield  to  impulses  to  which,  under  quieter  conditions, 
they  could  never  succumb.  A  calm  retrospection  of  conduct 
under  heated  conditions  prompts  any  honest  man  to  regret, 
and  impels  him  to  a  point  of  view  from  which  he  is  enabled 
to  discover  how  his  bearing  might  have  been  different. 

Great  expectations  were  aroused  by  so  amicable  an  ad- 
justment of  Baptist  affairs,  and  the  first  meeting  of  the  con- 
solidated body  was  looked  forward  to  with  intense  interest. 
It  was  destined  to  be  an  eventful  meeting. 

It  was  during  the  year  1885  that  a  memorable  debate  on 
the  Prohibition  question  took  place  at  Crawford,  in  Mc- 
Lennan County,  between  J.  B.  CranfiU  and  Roger  Q.  Mills. 
A  local  Prohibition  election  having  been  ordered,  the  whis- 
key men  induced  Mr.  Mills,  who  was  at  that  time  a  mem- 
ber of  Congress,  to  come  to  Crawford  and  speak  in  their 
behalf.  It  was  at  this  village  that  Dr.  Cranfill  had  taught 
school  when  he  was  quite  a  young  man.  It  was  there  that 
he  married  when  he  was  not  yet  twenty.  The  citizens  of  the 
little  town  remembered  him  well,  and  had  followed  his 
career  with  loving  interest.  When  they  learned  of  the  com- 
ing of  Mr.  Mills,  whose  mission  was  to  fasten  the  liquor 
traffic  on  the  precinct,  they  wired  Dr.  Cranfill  to  come  down 
and  meet  him  in  joint  debate.  He  came.  The  debate  was 
held.  Inasmuch  as  it  was  Mr.  Mills'  appointment,  he  both 
opened  and  closed  the  discussion.  It  was  an  occasion  long 
to  be  remembered,  and  the  result  of  the  contest  was  that 
Prohibition  was  adopted  in  the  precinct  by  an  overwhelming 
majority.  Dr.  Cranfill  regards  it  as  the  greatest  forensic 
victory  of  his  life.  While  Mr.  Mills  is  a  very  able  man  in 
debate,  he  was  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  question,  and  Dr. 


300  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Cranfill  utterly  routed  him  in  the  discussion.  That  night, 
the  brass  band  of  the  town,  led  by  Elmon  Armstrong,  sere- 
naded Dr.  Cranfill,  but  Mr.  Mills,  having  met  a  clistinct 
Waterloo  in  the  discussion,  left  the  town  on  a  midnight 
freight  train. 


REV.  J.  F.  DOBBS,  LIBERTY,  TEXAS. 

(Boni  in  ('lierokee  Co.,  Ala.,  Dec.  2G,  185.3;  .iolned  Mt.  Pisgah  church 
Sept.,  1870:  ordained  to  the  deaconship  of  Piedmont  church,  1878: 
moved  to  Montgomery  Co.,  Texas,  1881  :  ordained  to  the  ministry  by 
Pleasant  Grove  church,  June,  1882  ;  elected  missionary  of  P^vergreen 
Assn.,  May,  1882  :  served  three  years  ;  served  country  churches  in  Mont- 
gomery, Grimes  and  Waller  Counties :  has  been  pastor  at  Hempstead, 
Alvin  and  Madisonville  and  is  now  pastor  at  Liberty  ;  editor  of  South 
Texas  Baptist  from  1882  to  188G,  and  of  Baptist  News  from  1900  to 
1903 ;  has  been  married  twice,  first  to  :Miss  Sarah  Savage,  of  Spring- 
garden,  Ala.,  Feb.,  1875  ;  second,  to  Miss  Mary  Ilande,  of  Spring,  Texas, 
July,  1S<)7.) 


The  first  session  of  the  new  or  consolidated  body  met  at 
Waco,  on  June  26,  1886.  After  twenty-five  years  of  separa- 
tion and  counter-separation,  the  baptists  of  Texas  were 
again  brought  together.  It  was  an  eventful  occasion,  being 
the  largest  assemblage  of  Bai)tists  ever  brought  together  in 
the  state.    Men  who  had  planned  and  wrought  in  opposition. 


EECONCILIATION   AND    PEOGRESS  301 

were  now  seeing  eye  to  eye.  The  energy  and  determination 
which  had  heen  exhihited  in  the  promotion  of  separate  in- 
terests, were  now  concentrated  into  luianimity.  Representa- 
tives were  present  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  churches  and 
twenty-two  associations.  They  came  from  every  quarter  of 
the  state.  An  organization  of  the  body  was  promptly  ef- 
fected by  the  election  of  A.  T.  Spalding,  president ;  Reddin 
Andrews,  Tully  Choice  and  F.  Kiefer,  vice-presidents  ;  O.  H. 
P.  Garrett  and  S.  J.  Anderson,  secretaries,  and  A.  J.  Holt, 
corresponding  secretary  and  superintendent  of  missions. 

It  will  be  seen  that  there  was  a  disposition  to  be  mutually 
courteous  and  conciliatory  by  the  retention,  as  far  as  prac- 
ticable, of  all  the  old  officers  of  both  the  original  bodies. 
It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  thirty-eight  years  before,  at  the 
original  organization  of  the  convention,  the  number  of 
churches  was  precisely  equal  to  the  number  of  associations 
which  now  existed  in  the  state.  Even  in  division,  the  Bap- 
tists had  become  a  great  people. 

The  first  care  of  the  newly  organized  body  was  the  prepa- 
ration of  a  new  constitution,  to  prepare  which  a  committee 
of  five  was  appointed,  viz. :  B.  H.  Carroll,  F.  M.  Law,  R.  T. 
Hanks,  W.  H.  Dodson,  and  E.  Z.  F.  Golden.  The  constitu- 
tion was  maturely  prepared  and  duly  presented  and  adopted. 
The  meeting  was  largely  prospective,  and  concerned  itself, 
for  the  most  part,  with  planning  for  the  greater  things  of 
the  future.  To  have  witnessed  the  men  who  were  now  hap- 
pily co-operating,  one  would  never  have  thought  that  there 
had  ever  been  the  slightest  variance  in  their  councils.  Vast 
plans  for  future  work  were  projected,  and  the  Convention 
adjourned  with  a  burst  of  affectionate  enthusiasm.  The 
clouds  were  gone,  and  the  light  was  streaming.  Every  heart 
was  buoyant  as  the  members  turned  again  homeward.  It 
would  have  seemed  impossible  that  another  storm  could  ever 
burst  over  such  a  body  of  men. 

At  this  Convention,  J.  B.  Cranfill  was  again  named  as 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Temperance,  and  read  a 
ringing  and  aggressive  report.  Two  notable  speeches  on 
the  report  were  made — one  by  Major  W.  E.  Penn  and  one 
by  Rev.  I.  B.  Kimbrough.  During  the  year  1885,  while  a 
local    prohibition    campaign    was    pending    in    McLennan 


302  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

County,  United  States  Senator  Coke,  after  anathematizing 
the  preachers,  had  said :  "Scourge  the  preachers  back,  and 
stop  their  rations."  This  expression  had  aroused  the  Texas 
Baptist  ministry  on  the  temperance  question  as  they  had 
never  been  before.  Addressing  himself  to  the  report  and  to 
the  situation  then  pending  in  the  State  of  Texas,  Rev.  I.  B. 
Kimbrough  said:  "Before  I  would  close  my  mouth  con- 
cerning the  iniquity  of  the  liquor  traffic,  I  would  live  on 
corn-cobs  and  stump-water," 

Dr.  Kimbrough's  presence  and  address  on  this  occasion 
recalled  an  incident  of  his  earlier  career  in  Tennessee,  when 
he  was  the  financial  agent  of  Carson  and  Newman  College. 
Busied  with  the  work  of  raising  money  for  the  young  min- 
isters, he  was  held  up  in  going  from  one  appointment  to  an- 
other by  two  highwaymen.  They  made  their  appearance  as 
he  was  traveling  a  secluded  forest  road.  Presenting  their 
revolvers,  they  ordered  him  to  dismount  and  hand  over  to 
them  all  of  his  money.    He  said : 

"Very  well,  gentlemen,  please  give  me  a  little  time,  and 
I  will  obey  your  orders." 

After  dismounting,  he  laid  his  money  in  two  piles,  then 
turning  to  the  highwaymen  he  said : 

"Gentlemen,  this  small  pile  of  money  is  mine ;  you  are 
at  liberty  to  rob  me  of  that ;  the  larger  pile  is  God's  money, 
and  I  dare  you  to  touch  it.  I  collected  it  for  the  young 
preachers  of  the  state  who  are  struggling  for  an  education  at 
Carson  and  Newman  College." 

The  earnestness  and  courage  of  the  man  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  robbers,  and  they  began  to  inquire  into  the 
work  in  which  he  was  engaged.  He  told  them  he  was  a 
Baptist  preacher,  and  explained  to  them  his  mission.  After 
hearing  what  he  had  to  say,  the  elder  of  the  two  men 
said : 

"We  will  not  take  either  your  money  or  the  money  of 
the  young  preachers," 

Turning  to  the  young  men,  and  looking  them  full  in  the 
face,  Dr.  Kimbrough  added :  "Young  men,  you  are  in  a 
mighty  bad  business.  I  believe  you  ought  to  give  it  up.  In 
the  meantime,  I  wdll  be  grateful  if  you  will  help  me  in  the 
work  in  which  I  am  engaged." 


EECONCILIATION   AND   PEOGEESS  303 

Following  this  appeal,  the  robbers  gave  him  $5  each  for 
the  young  preachers,  whereupon  the  faithful  minister 
mounted  his  horse,  and  all  rode  away,  going  in  different 
directions. 

Naturally  enough  after  a  consolidation  of  the  schools, 
Doctor  R.  C.  Burleson  was  retained  as  the  president  of  the 
combined  interest.  He  had  maintained  a  large  and  success- 
ful school  for  many  years  together,  at  Waco,  and  hailed  with 
delight  the  impulse  given  to  the  work  under  new  and 
changed  conditions.  Indeed,  1886  will  ever  remain  one  of 
the  most  eventful  epochs  in  the  annals  of  the  Baptists  of 
Texas.  A  new  era  had  come,  and  the  years  of  the  future, 
though  obscured  by  storms,  have  been  years  of  increasing 
growth  and  expansion.  Nothing  has  been  able  to  stem  the 
flow  of  denominational  prosperity. 

One  matter  alone  barred  the  way  to  complete  unity,  and 
that  was  the  continuance  of  two  denominational  papers, 
edited  respectively  by  J.  B.  Link  and  S.  A.  Hayden.  The 
latter  had  come  to  succeed  Doctor  R.  C,  Buckner  as  the 
editor  of  The  Texas  Baptist.  Already  suggestions  were  made 
that  the  two  papers  merge,  but  under  the  new  constitution 
it  was  wisely  provided  that  the  Convention  could  not  become 
involved  in  such  an  enterprise  as  was  proposed  by  some. 
Doctor  Link  proposed  that  both  papers  be  sold  to  some  or- 
ganization that  would  bear  a  vital  relation  to  the  Convention, 
to  which  Doctor  Hayden  was  opposed.  Indeed,  none  were 
found  who  were  willing  to  assume  any  responsibility  in  such 
connection.  Several  committees  were  appointed  at  different 
times  to  aid  in  the  adjustment  of  the  "paper  question,"  as 
it  was  called,  but  the  utmost  that  could  be  settled  was,  that 
in  the  event  of  consilidation  the  paper  should  be  published 
at  Dallas.  This  was  done,  the  vote  being  for  Dallas  by  a 
bare  majority.  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  and  the  delegates  from 
Waco  church  refrained  from  voting.  If  they  had  voted  aye, 
Waco  would  have  been  chosen  and  the  current  of  Texas 
Baptist  history  radically  changed.  The  final  result  was  that 
Doctor  Link  sold  the  Texas  Baptist  Herald  to  Doctor  Hay- 
den in  July,  1886,  and  it  thenceforth  became  the  Texas  Bap- 
tist and  Herald. 

Conditions  in  the  state  had  grown  immensely  better,  in 


nOl  IIISTOT^Y    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

every  respect  within  llie  last  few  years,  and  a  sentiment 
was  becoming-  dominant  that  a  movement  looking  to  the 
total  ex]iulsion  of  li((uoi'  from  the  state  should  be  started, 
as  it  was  believi'd  tliat  such  a  movement  woidcT  result  in 
its  banishment.  This  was  the  year  that  the  Prohibition 
Party  was  organized  in  Texas.  J.  B.  Cranfill  made  the 
call  for  a  convention  for  the  organization  of  that  party  in 
July,  1886,  and  the  party  was  organized  at  Dallas  in  Sep- 
tember, 1886.  Doctor  Cranfill  was  made  the  chairman  of 
the  State  E.xecutive  Committee,  and  the  party  polled  the 
largest  vote  in  its  history.  The  ballots  of  19,186  gave 
encouragement  to  believe  that  a  movement  could  be  begun 
for  ridding  Texas  of  the  saloon,  and  that  movement  was 
begun  in  1887,  of  w'hich  we  shall  hear  more  later  on. 

The  removal  of  the  college  for  girls  from  Independence 
and  the  provision  of  a  new  location  for  that  school,  as  a 
separate  institution,  resulted  in  the  selection  of  Belton, 
where  the  "Pjaylor  Fema-le  College"  was  opened  in  Sep- 
tember, 1886,  with  Doctor  J.  II.  Luther,  who  had  served 
with  efficiency  at  Independence,  retained  as  president.  The 
town  of  Belton  gave  eleven  acres  of  land  for  the  school,  and 
$31,000  as  a  building  fund.  The  school  prospered  from  the 
beginning,  there  being  enrolled  the  first  year  two  hundred 
and  two  students. 

Under  the  new  order  of  things  the  work  began  well 
throughout  the  state.  New  life  came  to  the  denomination 
and  new  movements  began  most  auspiciously  to  come  into 
being.  This  year  marked  the  formation  of  what  w^as  called 
the  Baptist  Women  Mission  Workers  in  the  state,  at  the 
head  of  which  movement  was  Mrs.  Fannie  Breedlove  Davis, 
to  whom  allusion  has  already  been  made.  Without  a  jar 
or  jostle,  the  work  went  smoothly  on  in  the  forgetfulness 
of  the  past. 

The  Baptist  General  Convention  of  Texas  met  in  1887 
with  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Dallas,  and  the  wisdom  of 
unification  was  abundantly  shown  in  the  large  assemblage 
from  every  quarter  of  the  state,  in  the  results  accomplished 
during  the  year,  and  in  the  admirable  oneness  of  spirit  ex- 
hibited in  the  convention.  A.  T.  Spalding  was  re-elected 
president,  G.  W.  Baines,  F.  M.  Law,  and  R.  T.  Hanks,  vice- 


EECONCILIATION    AND    PEOGEESS  305 

presidents;  S.  J-  Anderson,  recording-  secretary,  and  M.  P. 
Matheney  assistant  secretary.  The  attendance  on  the  con- 
vention numbered  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  messengers. 
The  past  year  had  served  to  give  a  concrete  ilhistration  of 
a  forcible  statement  made  by  Secretary  Holt  the  year  be- 
fore :  "The  pressure  of  past  perils  has  brought  to  the  front 
some  able  workers." 

The  work  of  the  State  Board  had  been  vastly  enlarged 
during  the  past  year,  the  number  of  missionaries  having 
been  increased  from  eighty-one  from  the  year  before  to 
one  hundred  and  twenty.  Most  of  the  district  associations 
of  the  state  had  been  brought  into  co-operation  with  the 
General  Board,  and  immense  fields  of  destitution  had  been 
reached.  Yet  the  fact  remained  that  there  were  eighty-five 
counties  in  the  state  which  were  almost,  if  not  entirely,  des- 
titute of  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  There  were  100,000 
square  miles  of  solid  destitution  in  Texas.  The  Rio  Grande, 
skirting  the  distance  of  1,500  miles  along  the  western  bor- 
der of  the  state,  watered  a  region  which  was  being  rapidly 
peopled,  and  yet  but  two  missionaries  were  serving  in  that 
vast  region.  Of  the  120,000  Baptists  in  the  state  at  that 
time  fully  100,000  of  them  were  giving  not  a  cent  to  mis- 
sions. Yet  the  cash  collections  for  the  year  amounted  to 
$31,960.28.  This  was  the  substance  of  the  report  of  Sec- 
retary Holt  to  the  convention  in  1887.  Among  the  com- 
mendable efforts  of  the  State  Board  during  the  year  was 
that  of  seeking  to  reach  the  growing  centers.  Houston, 
Galveston,  Dallas,  Denison,  Texarkana,  Laredo,  El  Paso, 
Clarksville,  Eagle  Pass  and  Henrietta  were  points  that  had 
engaged  the  claims  of  the  attention  of  the  board.  Under 
the  new  relations  the  schools  had  begun  well.  The  people 
of  Belton  had  shown  every  possible  kindness  to  the  college 
located  there,  and  it  was  destined  to  grow  rapidly  in  popu- 
lar esteem.  A  fresh  infusion  of  life  had  been  imparted  to 
Baylor  University,  and  the  attendance  had  materially  grown. 
S.  L,  Morris  was  retained  as  financial  agent  of  the  school, 
and  the  prospect  of  an  enlarged  endowment  was  encourag- 
ing. Among  the  liberal  donors  of  the  year  was  a  man  hum- 
ble in  life  but  a  prince  among  godly  men.  Jackson  Bradly, 
of  Johnson  county,  just  before  his  death,  gave  $1,000  to 


306  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

the  endowment  fund  of  Baylor  University,  and  stated  that 
it  was  the  happiest  day  of  his  Hfe  when  he  was  able  to  do 
for  others  that  of  which  he  had  been  denied.  His  name 
and  memory  are  worthy  of  permanent  record.  At  Lam- 
pasas Rev.  H.  M.  Burroughs  had  under  his  watchcare 
twenty-six    aged    and    destitute    ministers,    together    with 


REV.    J.    p.   GILLIAM   AND   WIFE,    GENERAL    MISSIONARY, 
Jacksonville,  Texas. 

(Born  in  Sumner  Co.,  Tenn.,  Sept.  21,  1854;  taught  school;  was 
baptized  in  1875 ;  was  ordained  by  Independence  church,  Tenn.,  1878 ; 
served  country  churches  until  1892,  after  which  he  served  town  churches ; 
in  1901,  came  to  Texas,  was  called  to  Hico  church ;  resigned  to  accept 
work  of  General  Missionary  in  1907 ;  Jan.  10,  1878,  was  married  to  Miss 
Belle  I'ardue.) 


six  widows  and- some  orphan  children,  and   for  his  new 
board  he  was  gradually  gathering  an  endowment. 

During  the  year  Rev.  O.  H.  P.  Garrett  had  died.  For 
a  long  period  of  years  he  had  been  a  conspicuous  and  yet 
modest  figure  in  the  ranks  of  the  convention.  For  many 
years  in  succession  he  had  served  with  marked  efficiency 


EPJCONCILIATION   AND    PEOGRESS  307 

as  the  recording  secretary  of  the  body.  He  was  among  the 
pioneer  young  men  who  came  from  the  states  eastward  to 
Texas  in  its  earliest  days.  OHver  Hazard  Perry  Garrett 
removed  to  Texas  in  1838,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  brief 
stay  in  his  native  state,  South  Carolina,  after  his  return  to 
that  state,  where  he  was  married,  he  was  identified  with  the 
varying  fortunes  of  Texas  till  his  death  in  1886.  He  was 
a  man  of  varied  usefulness  and  enjoyed  the  esteem  of  his 
neighbors  and  the  love  of  his  brethren  to  the  close  of  his 
life. 

After  the  removal  of  Baylor  University  from  Independ- 
ence there  was  an  effort  made  to  establish  a  school  in  the 
original  buildings,  which  school  took  the  name  of  Crane 
College.  But  it  was  short-lived,  having  to  resist  the  natural 
conditions  which  brought  inanition  to  the  university  while 
there. 

The  year  1887  will  ever  be  memorable  in  the  history  of 
the  state  as  one  during  which  there  was  the  fiercest  moral 
campaign  ever  waged  in  Texas.  By  a  special  act  of  the 
legislature  an  amendment  to  the  state  constitution  relative 
to  prohibition  was  submitted  to  the  people,  which  action 
involved  a  stirring  canvass  of  many  months.  Beyond  a 
doubt,  the  large  Prohibition  party  vote  of  the  year  before 
precipitated  this  legislative  action.  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  was 
released  from  his  pulpit  to  canvass  the  state  in  the  interest 
of  prohibition,  having  been  chosen  as  the  champion  of  that 
cause,  and  Governor  Coke  was  selected  to  oppose  him. 
Coke  proved  unequal  to  the  task,  and  Senator  Roger  Q.  Mills 
was  next  selected,  and  he  was  content  to  meet  Doctor  Car- 
roll one  time  only.  The  contest  was  most  exciting  through- 
out, and  while  the  campaign  was  waged  it  went  from  one  of 
intense  excitement  to  one  of  bitterness.  Not  a  few  of  the 
most  prominent  men  in  the  state  espoused  the  cause  ot 
prohibition,  among  whom  were  Senator  S.  B.  Maxey,  Con- 
gressman Culberson,  the  father  of  one  of  the  present  sena- 
tors of  the  state,  and  Hon.  J.  W.  Bailey,  then  a  young  man, 
but  at  present  one  of  the  United  States  senators  from 
Texas. 

An  illustration  of  the  intensity  of  feeling  dominating 
the  people  of  the  state  during  that  stormy  campaign  is  fur- 


308  ITT8T0RY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

nislicd  by  an  cxi)criciicc  of  Doctor  Carri)11  at  San  Antonio. 
A  IVIcthodist  minister  of  that  city,  in  undertaking  to  discuss 
the  merits  of  the  consuming  question  then  before  the  peo- 
ple, had  been  viciously  slapped  in  the  face  by  the  mayor  of 
the  city,  which  was  an  indication  of  the  intolerance  of  the 
liquor  men,  and  this  sensationally  closed  the  discussion  for 
the  time  in  the  city  of  the  Alamo.  On  hearing  of  this  epi- 
sode Doctor  Carroll,  who  has  the  courage  of  the  lion,  felt 
toward  San  Antonio  somewhat  as  Paul  felt  toward  the 
Roman  capital:  "And  I  would  see  Rome  also."  The 
intrepid  disputant  yearned  for  the  city  where  the  demon- 
stration of  official  intolerance  was  so  notorious,  and  accom- 
panied by  Colonel  Herndon  he  went  to  San  Antonio,  the 
veritable  stronghold  of  the  liquor  forces.  On  reaching  the 
city  the  brace  of  prohibition  disputants  found  that  the  oppo- 
nents of  the  cause  which  they  represented  had  rented  every 
hall  in  the  city  in  order  ,to  prevent  the  engagement  of  any 
by  the  prohibitionists.  Through  General  Young,  a  friend 
of  Colonel  Herndon,  though  an  anti-prohibitionist,  a  plat- 
form was  erected  on  the  grounds  of  the  Federal  garrison  in 
the  city,  the  local  commander  having  kindly  consented  to 
the  arrangement.  Later,  however,  and  before  the  time  came 
for  the  addresses,  the  Federal  court-room  was  tendered  to 
the  speakers.  In  order  to  protect  the  speakers  from  vio- 
lence the  Federal  commander  had  a  battery  stationed  near 
the  grounds,  and  while  not  espousing  the  cause  of  either 
side,  swore  that  no  man  who  spoke  under  the  protection  of 
the  national  flag  should  be  molested  by  a  mob.  The  violent 
crowd  gathered  within  easy  distance,  abundantly  armed  with 
such  missiles  of  hostility  as  rotten  eggs,  but  they  dared  not 
venture  to  make  an  open  demonstration. 

Colonel  Herndon  spoke  without  annoyance,  and  by  his 
eloquence  won  the  ear  of  the  onlooking  multitude,  and  when 
Doctor  Carroll  arose  he  related  a  telling  anecdote,  which 
completely  disarmed  the  turbulent  mass,  and  hundreds 
pressed  eagerly  up  to  hear  him.  In  the  opening  remarks 
of  his  speech  he  deprecated  the  fact  that  in  the  city  of  the 
Alamo,  where  blood  had  been  shed  to  cement  the  foundation 
of  constitutional  freedom  for  Texas,  any  speaker  in 
discussing  a  constitutional  question  should  have  to  stand 


EECONCILIATION    AND    PEOGKESS  309 

on  Federal  ground  and  under  the  national  flag  to  be  pro- 
tected against  the  outbreak  of  a  mob  which  sought  to  deny 
him  this  right.  The  horde  gathered  in  opposition  to  the 
speakers  began  to  slink  away,  the  most  of  them  coming  for- 
ward to  hear  the  eloquent  pleading  of  the  man  for  a  sacred 
cause.  Thus  was  disarmed  all  opposition,  and  the  speakers 
were  able  to  have  the  cause  of  prohibiton  properly  pre- 
sented, -even  in  San  Antonio.  In  the  issue  the  amendment 
failed  of  adoption  by  at  least  92,000  votes,  but  moral  seed 
were  sown  by  the  work  of  that  year,  the  harvests  of  which 
have  been  gathered  ever  since.  But  for  that  campaign 
Texas  would  not  be  as  vigorous  in  its  opposition  to  liquor 
as  it  is  today.  No  means  were  left  unemployed  by  the  forces 
arrayed  against  the  cause  of  civic  virtue  to  defeat  the  meas- 
ure before  the  people  at  that  time.  At  a  period  when  no 
restrictions  were  imposed  on  the  ballot  in  Texas  these  des- 
perate advocates  of  the  brew^ery  and  dramshop  even  resorted 
to  the  debased  method  of  putting  negro  women  in  the  garbs 
of  men  and  marching  them  in  blocks  and  hordes  to  the  bal- 
lot-box and  voting  them.  How  many  of  these  black  Sene- 
gambian  amazons  thus  voted  it  is  impossible  to  say,  and  can 
never  be  known.  There  were  also  outrageous  frauds  on  the 
]\Iexican  border,  beyond  doubt  many  Mexicans  from  across 
the  Rio  Grande  having  been  imported  by  the  liquor  men. 

It  was  most  unfortunate  for  the  fame  of  ex-President 
Jefferson  Davis,  then  living  at  Beauvoir,  Mississippi,  that 
just  prior  to  the  election  he  was  induced  by  liquor  influence 
to  send  a  letter  to  Texas  in  pronounced  opposition  to 
prohibition.  His  letter  was  quoted  over  the  state,  was 
printed  and  posted  everywdiere,  and  his  picture  was  dis- 
played in  thousands  of  drinking  saloons  throughout  Texas. 
That  this  had  much  to  do  in  turning  the  tide  against  pro- 
hibition at  that  particular  juncture  is  true.  That  a  name  so 
famed  should  have  been  connected  with  such  scenes  as  have 
already  been  described  for  the  consummation  of  the  full 
purpose  of  the  opponents  of  virtue  and  decency,  is  a  most 
imfortunatc  fact  of  history. 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  every  prominent  man  who 
then  arrayed  himself  in  opposition  to  a  measure  that  looked 


310  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

to  the  elevation  of  the  morals  of  the  state,  sank  from  public 
view  never  to  rise  again. 

During  the  campaign  the  leading  editorial  champion  of 
the  prohibition  cause  was  J.  B.  Cranfill,  whose  paper,  The 
Gatesville  Advance,  had  in  December,  1886,  been  removed 
to  Waco  and  had  become  TJie  Waco  Advance.  It  was 
conducted  as  a  daily  and  weekly  during  the  memorable 
struggle,  and  did  a  remarkable  service  in  forwarding  the 
fight  against  the  liquor  traffic. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

MINGLED   ORDER  AND  DISORDER. 

While  the  progress  of  the  denomination  was  continuous,  it 
was  interrupted  by  two  causes  which  were  injected  into  the 
flow  of  the  harmonious  current.  One  of  these  was  the  in- 
troduction of  a  strange  heresy  by  Rev.  M.  T.  Martin,  a 
member  of  the  First  Church  of  Waco.  His  views,  at  first 
local,  attracted  but  little  attention,  and  affectionate  interest 
in  his  behalf  by  his  pastor,  Doctor  Carroll,  and  others  who 
sought  to  divert  him  from  his  purpose  of  giving  undue 
prominence  to  his  peculiar  views,  while  they  endeavored  to 
dissuade  him  from  his  errors,  were  of  no  avail.  With  a  zeal 
worthy  of  a  better  cause,  he  persisted,  to  his  personal  detri- 
ment, as  well  as  to  that  of  the  Baptist  cause. 

By  a  strange  combination  of  doctrinal  views,  such  as  that 
of  two  births,  one  of  the  Spirit  and  the  other  of  the  Word ; 
the  precedence  of  sanctification  to  conversion ;  positive  as- 
surance, which  he  insisted  must  precede  baptism ;  a  prac- 
tical denial  of  repentance  as  a  doctrine,  and  a  discourage- 
ment of  prayer,  both  by  sinners  themselves  and  by  others 
for  them ;  this  was  the  stock  of  his  views  as  this  erratic  man 
preached  and  talked  as  he  had  opportunity.  Ideas  so  con- 
glomerate were  scarcely  noticed  at  first,  but  doctrines  as 
absurd,  even,  as  those  of  Mr.  Martin  were  destined  to  gain 
headway.  Admonition  of  the  friendliest  sort  from  his  pas- 
tor and  others  were  totally  disregarded  by  Mr.  Martin. 
Finally  deprived  of  his  ministerial  credentials,  he  was 
granted  a  letter  of  dismission  by  the  First  Church  of  Waco, 
a  mistake  of  genuine  friendship  growing  out  of  the  desire 
not  to  injure  him,  and  hoping  to  emphasize  his  error  so  un- 
mistakably that  he  would  go  elsewhere  and  desist  from  fur- 
ther promulgation  of  his  erroneous  views. 

Removing   from   Texas,   Mr.    Martin   went  to   Georgia, 

311 


31:^  HISTORY    OF    TIOXAS    BAPTISTS 

joined  the  church  at  Woodstock  in  that  state,  and  was  H- 
censed  again  to  preach.  Returning  to  Texas,  he  became  a 
member  of  the  church  at  Alarhn,  and  in  due  time  was  reclad 
with  full  ministerial  functions.  This  w'as  an  occasion  of 
fresh  trouble.  Mr.  Martin  again  began  promulgating  his 
peculiar  views,  unsettling  the  faith  of  not  a  few,  and  occa- 
sioning dissension  wherever  he  went.  Many  of  the  un- 
thougiitful  and  ill-advised  were  induced  to  repudiate  their 
baptism  and  submit  to  a  second  administration  of  the  ordi- 
nance, among  whom  were  some  of  the  prominent  members 
of  churches.  The  agitation  found  its  way  into  the  Waco 
Association,  to  which  body  were  borne  special  charges 
against  the  church  at  Marlin  by  the  First  Church  of  Waco, 
the  result  of  which  was  that  the  church  at  Marlin  was  ex- 
cluded as  a  constituent  member  from  the  Waco  Association 
on  the  charge  of  fostering  heresy.  The  agitation  was  con- 
tinued for  years,  and  finally  Martin  left  the  state  and  died, 
his  peculiar  views  dying  with  him,  and  the  Marlin  church 
was  restored  to  its  fellowship  in  the  Waco  Association. 

The  other  difficulty,  also  local  at  first,  became  state  wide 
in  its  effect,  and  prepared  the  way  for  a  difficulty,  the  sad- 
dest and  fiercest  ever  knowai  to  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  and 
one  that  wrought  much  havoc,  was  one  that  arose  at  Dallas. 
An  unfortunate  and  distracting  controversy  was  sprung  on 
the  denomination  in  the  state  by  Doctor  Hayden  through 
the  colunms  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  respecting 
Rev.  R.  T.  Hanks,  then  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Dal- 
las. The  charges  against  Mr.  Hanks  were  of  a  most  serious 
and  damaging  character,  and  were  of  a  nature  to  work  seri- 
ous detriment  to  the  cause  locally  at  Dallas,  and  through  so 
prominent  a  source,  to  the  denomination  at  large.  Had  the 
charges  been  presented  at  the,  bar  of  the  church,  there  could 
not  have  been  so  serious  influential  damage,  but  when  they 
were  presented  in  the  columns  of  the  only  denominational 
journal  in  the  state,  and  were  circulated  not  in  Texas  alone, 
but  elsewhere  in  other  states,  they  assumed  proportions  that 
were  of  a  most  hurtful  nature.  Crave  as  the  charges  were, 
they  certainly  were  not  such  as  should  find  ]^lace  in  llu- 
columns  of  a  religions  pajX'r  until  sustained  by  the  most  un- 
questioned facts.     The  local  church  was  the  tribunal  before 


MINGLED    ORDEE    AND   DISOEDER  3 13 

which  the  pastor  as  a  member  should  be  arraigned,  and  not 
in  the  open  columns  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald.  After 
the  stupendous  blunder  had  been  committed,  a  council  was 
called  to  consider  the  case  and  to  advise  the  church  con- 
cerning it,  in  advance  of  which  council  there  was  an  agree- 
ment between  Doctor  Hayden  and  the  church  that  the  deci- 
sion of  the  council  should  be  final.  The  church  accepted 
the  decision  of  the  council,  which  did  not  agree  with  the 
allegations  of  Doctor  Hayden,  yet  he  resumed  openly  the 
reiteration  of  the  charges.  Later  he  left  the  First  Church, 
under  charges  from  that  church,  and  joined  another.  By  a 
combination  of  conditions  a  matter  purely  local  was  forced 
into  such  prominence  by  the  only  Baptist  paper  in  the  state 
that  it  became  a  general  and  oiYensive  topic,  and  purely  as  a 
matter  of  self-protection,  those  interested  in  the  welfare  of 
the  First  Church  felt  impelled  to  create  an  organ  through 
which  they  could  find  expression  of  defense  against  the 
statements  of  Doctor  Hayden.  The  nature  of  the  assaults 
made  by  Doctor  Hayden  was  such  as  largely  to  paralyze 
the  denomination  in  the  state. 

The  situation  was  the  more  distressing  because  of  the 
unity  so  lately  secured,  and  the  prospect  which  it  opened  to 
protracted  peace  and  prosperity.  In  bringing  this  condi- 
tion to  pass.  Doctor  HaN'den.  as  we  have  seen,  w'as  conspicu- 
ous. But  prevailing  conditions  assumed  so  much  gravity 
that  the  necessity  of  creating  an  organ  as  the  mouthpiece 
of  those  who  felt  that  they  were  being  wronged  seemed  im- 
perative. A  small  paper  called  The  Baptist  Neivs,  which 
was  begun  in  December,  1888,  at  Honey  Grove  by  Lewis 
Holland  and  J.  H.  Boyet,  was  removed  to  Dallas,  and  Mr. 
Boyet  withdrawing,  R.  T.  Hanks  bought  a  half  interest  in 
the  paper.  It  was  enlarged  and  called  The  Western  Baptist. 
This  was  finally  evolved  into  The  Baptist  Standard,  as  we 
shall  see  later  on. 

The  influences  named. did  not  affect  general  denomina- 
tional progress.  Excepting  the  limited  number  which  fell 
immediately  under  their  sway,  the  distractions  were  a  cause 
of  general  regret,  but  men  were  too  intent  on  seeking  to  re- 
gain that  which  seemed  to  have  been  lost  by  the  occurrences 
of  the  past  to  turn  aside  to  fresh  wrangling.     On  the  field 


REV.    O.    L.    E[AILEY,    COMMANCHE,    TEXAS. 


MINGLED  OEDEE  AND  DISOEDEE        315 

as  missionaries,  and  in  their  pastorates,  men  were  busy.  The 
schools  were  developing-  into  greater  proportions  and  all  the 
denominational  agencies  promised  well  in  spite  of  the  in- 
terruption of  the  general  harmony  by  the  incidents  already 
alluded  to.  Secretary  Holt  with  untiring  effort  was  pushing 
the  cause  of  state  missions  into  the  waste  places  of  the  state. 
It  became  necessary  to  place  the  work  on  the  frontier  under 
the  care  of  Rev.  S.  A.  Beauchamp  as  a  local  superintendent. 
Forty  mission  stations  were  supplied  by  four  men  in  this 
growing  region.  They  were  unable  to  meet  the  demand  in 
a  region  so  vast,  but  the  utmost  possible  was  being  done. 
The  most  difficult  class  among  the  foreigners  to  be  reached 
were  the  Germans.  Four  most  efficient  German  mission- 
aries were  appointed  to  labor  among  that  people — Revs. 
Keifer,  Gleiss,  Becker  and  Shafer.  While  on  a  visit  to  San 
Antonio  in  June,  1888,  for  the  medical  treatment  of  one  of 
his  children  Dr.  W.  D.  Powell,  the  missionary  to  Mexico, 
labored  for  some  weeks  among  the  Mexicans  of  that  city, 
which  resulted  in  the  salvation  of  some.  Among  others 
who  were  baptized  was  Manuel  Trevino,  who  had  been 
serving  in  the  capacity  of  a  Presbyterian  preacher  in  that 
city.  He  became  a  missionary  under  the  State  Board  and 
did  effective  work  in  conjunction  with  Miss  Mina  Everett, 
a  returned  missionary  from  Brazil.  Among  the  negroes  ex- 
cellent results  were  flowing  from  the  work  of  Rev.  A.  R. 
Griggs,  who  was  laboring  under  the  direction  of  the  State 
Board.  Including  all  workers,  there  were  as  many  as  one 
hundred  and  thirty  missionaries  in  1888  laboring  through- 
out the  state.  The  strongholds  of  population  were  seized  by 
Secretary  Holt  and  manned  by  efficient  missionaries.  Among 
these  were  Austin,  Dallas,  Bastrop,  Texarkana,  Laredo,  Cor- 
pus Christi,  Wichita  Falls,  Brenham  and  Henrietta. 

Among  those  who  died  during  the  year  were  several  who 
had  been  prominent  in  denominational  life.  After  laboring 
in  the  ministry  in  Texas  for  more  than  fifty  years  Rev.  N.  T. 
Byars  died  in  1888.  He  was  among  the  men  who  periled 
all  for  the  independence  of  the  Republic  of  Texas  and  who 
faced  every  hazard  in  preaching  the  gospel  in  the  earliest 
days  of  Texas  occupancy.  The  Declaration  of  Texas  Inde- 
pendence was  signed  in  his  home  in  Washington  county, 


316  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

and  his  patriotism  was  as  conspicuous  in  the  matters  of  state 
as  in  those  of  the  church.  He  was  a  man  of  no  mean  pulpit 
abiHty,  and  many  a  church  in  Texas  today  owes  its  existence 
to  N.  T.  Byars.  Rev.  Hosea  Garrett  had  also  died.  He  had 
come  to  Texas  in  the  forties  from  his  native  state,  South 
Carolina,  and  was  a  man  of  broad  usefulness  in  different 
spheres  of  denominational  life.  His  quiet  wisdom  and  un- 
erring judgment  led  to  his  election  to  many  posts  of  honor, 
among  which  was  that  of  the  presidency  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  Baylor  University  during  its  stay  at  Independ- 
ence,   For  forty-six  years  he  was  a  preacher  in  Texas. 

The  annual  session  of  the  Baptist  General  Convention 
was  held  at  Belton  in  1888.  A.  T.  Spalding  was  again 
chosen  president,  F.  AI.  Law,  R.  T.  Hanks  and  J.  H.  Strib- 
ling  vice  presidents,  J.  B.  Cranfill  and  J.  M.  Carroll  record- 
ing secretaries  and  A.  J.  Holt  corresponding  secretary.  As 
nearly  as  possible  the  campaign  of  the  State  Board  had 
been  during  the  year  state-wide  in  its  operations.  The  mis- 
sionaries bore  to  the  convention  stimulating  reports  of  their 
labors.  They  had  baptized  3,689  persons  and  had  organized 
fifty-four  churches  and  sixty-five  Sunday  schools.  Secre- 
tary Holt  emphasized  the  importance  of  compacter  and 
completer  organization  of  the  Baptist  forces.  Immense  dis- 
tances separated  between  many  churches  in  the  state,  and 
it  seemed  well-nigh  impossible  to  reach  them  and  marshal 
their  strength.  IMuch  as  had  been  eft'ected  through  the 
movements  of  the  last  three  years  since  the  period  of  co- 
operation, it  w^as  only  the  beginning  of  better  things.  Noth- 
ing short  of  an  earthquake  of  sentiment  would  bring  the 
mighty  host  together  into  closer  bonds.  That  earthquake 
came  in  what  came  to  be  called  "the  paper  war."  Without 
this  convulsion  it  is  doubtful  if  they  could  ever  have  been 
brought  together  in  such  consummate  oneness.  The  dis- 
order came  as  a  result  of  the  recognized  necessity  of  another 
paper  than  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  to  represent  the 
sentiment  of  the  state.  That  this  paper  was  sowing  the 
seeds  of  dissension  in  the  state  was  the  general  conviction, 
and  that  there  should  be  a  stul)1xjrn  resistance  made  to  check 
this  disintegrating  influence  w'as  equally  the  popular  con- 
viction.   The  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  had  an  opportunity 


MINGLED    ORDER    AND    DISORDER  317 

for  doing  good  unequalled  by  that  of  any  other  paper  in  the 
states  of  the  South.  Doctor  Hayden,  as  the  editor,  was  in 
a  position  to  sway  the  great  denomination  for  good.  Rarely 
does  there  come  to  one  an  opportunity  to  wield  so  potent  an 
influence  as  came  to  Doctor  Hayden  in  the  period  immedi- 
ately following  the  reconciliation  in  which  he  was  so  con- 
spicuous. But  the  unfortunate  direction  given  the  paper 
produced  alarm  for  the  safety  of  the  denomination  in  a 
most  critical  period.  More  than  all  else,  this  paper  ques- 
tion became  the  absorbing  topic  in  the  Baptist  circles  of  the 
state.  It  was  a  most  perplexing  question,  as  the  tone  of  the 
Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  was  trenchant  and  its  utterances 
fervid  in  declarations  which  were  felt  by  many  to  be  pro- 
ductive of  much  injury  to  the  interests  of  the  denomination. 

The  year  1888  also  marked  the  first  entrance  of  J.  B. 
Cranfill  upon  active  denominational  work.  In  July  of  that 
year  he  sold  his  paper.  The  Waco  Advance,  to  the  Texas 
Prohibitionist,  at  that  time  published  in  Dallas,  and  the  fol- 
lowing September,  having  spent  the  month  of  August  in 
Colorado  lecturing  on  the  subject  of  Prohibition,  he  began 
work  as  Assistant  Financial  Secretary  of  Baylor  University. 
Rev.  S.  L.  Morris  was  the  Financial  Secretary.  He  resigned 
this  position  on  January  i,  1889,  and  J.  B.  Cranfill  was 
elected  in  his  stead,  which  position  he,  in  turn,  resigned  in 
October,  1889,  to  accept  the  position  of  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary of  the  Baptist  General  Convention.  His  brief  work 
for  Baylor  University  was  characterized  by  signal  success, 
and  the  Board  of  Trustees  regretted  very  much  to  have  him 
retire  from  that  position. 

During  the  year  1889  the  state  suffered  the  loss  by  re- 
moval of  one  of  its  most  scholarly  pastors,  Rev.  Alexander 
M.  Averill,  who  had  located  at  Lancaster  as  pastor  in  1878, 
where  he  remained  for  twelve  years.  He  was  a  ripe  scholar, 
and  to  the  last  devoted  his  time  to  the  translation  and  inter- 
pretation of  the  Old  Testament  scriptures.  He  had  been 
of  vast  service  to  the  denomination  during  his  sojourn  in 
Texas,  and  his  removal  from  the  state  was  much  regretted. 
Prior  to  coming  to  Texas  he  had  served  a  number  of  im- 
portant churches  in  New  England.  As  an  author  of  some 
note,  and  as  a  contributor  to  the  magazine  literature  of  the 


318  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

country,  he  was  an  ornament  to  the  Baptist  ranks  in  this 
state.  He  died  at  his  home  in  Somerville,  Mass.,  on  Febru- 
ary 13,  1904.* 

It  was  in  1889  that  Rev.  J.  N.  Prestridge,  now  the  editor 
of  The  Baptist  Argtis,  became  the  pastor  of  the  First  Church 
of  San  Antonio.  During  his  brief  pastorate  of  six  months 
in  that  city  he  did  a  marvelous  work.  The  original  church 
building  was  overhauled  completely,  a  branch  church  build- 
ing erected,  and  the  money  raised  for  another,  before  declin- 
ing health  forced  his  resignation. 

The  Baptist  General  Convention  was  held  in  1889  at 
Houston.  The  officers  were :  A.  T.  Spalding,  president ; 
F.  M.  Law,  J.  H.  Stribling  and  R.  C.  Burleson,  vice  presi- 
dents ;  T.  S.  Potts  and  A.  E.  Baten,  recording  secretaries, 
and  during  the  session  J.  B.  Cranfill  was  elected  the  corre- 
sponding secretary  and  superintendent  of  missions.  The  in- 
terest of  the  convention  largely  centered  in  the  report  of  the 
corresponding  secretary.  It  was  known  that  he  had  en- 
countered serious  obstructions  during  the  year  because  of 
the  excessive  rains  and  other  causes,  but  it  was  not  known 
what  the  result  was. 

In  reviewing  the  situation  in  his  annual  report.  Secretary 
Holt  called  attention  to  the  change  of  plans  of  the  Board 
during  the  year,  relative  to  the  withdrawal  of  all  collecting 
agencies  from  the  field,  with  a  view  of  imposing  the  matter 
of  raising  funds  directly  on  each  pastor.  While  the  Board 
was  correct  in  the  step  taken,  it  nevertheless  had  the  tend- 
ency during  the  period  of  transition  of  checking  the  receipts. 
This  was  the  experience  of  Secretary  Holt  during  this  year. 
That  the  Board  was  coming  to  appreciate  the  fact  that  sys- 
tematic and  business-like  order  was  necessary  in  order  to 
the  execution  of  a  successful  policy  was  manifest,  and  while 
it  had  its  initial  disadvantages,  it  was  destined  to  work  a 
radical  change  for  good,  as  the  subsequent  history  of  the 
work  shows. 

As  far  as  possible  the  Board  had  met  the  demands  of  the 
situation  during  the  trying  year.  A  large  number  of  towns 
and  cities  had  been  materially  helped,  among  which  were 


*ne  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  C.  C.  Slaughter. 


MINGLED  OEDER  AND  DISORDEE        319 

Galveston,  Dallas,  San  Antonio,  Waco,  Bastrop,  Lockhart, 
Austin,  San  Angelo,  Palestine,  Texarkana,  Corpus  Christi, 
Laredo,  Victoria,  Columbus,  Eagle  Lake,  Stephenville,  Mid- 
land, Pecos,  Big  Springs,  Center  Point,  Uvalde,  Del  Rio, 
Sealy,  Richmond  and  other  points.  Clarksville,  Taylor  and 
Cisco,  all  of  which  had  been  helped  the  year  before,  were 
now  self-sustaining.  All  the  points  named  ultimately  be- 
came so,  and  are  now  strong  points  of  interest.  The  frontier 
field  embraced  a  vast  area,  the  portion  of  which  covered  by 
the  Rio  Grande  Association  is  larger  than  the  state  of  West 
Virginia,  while  the  Red  Fork  Association,  which  embraced 
the  Panhandle,  exceeded  in  size  the  state  of  Ohio. 

This  summary  of  the  work  presented  by  Dr.  A.  J.  Holt 
indicated  the  scope  of  his  undertakings.  When  it  is  remem- 
bered that  while  these  vast  regions  were  to  be  cared  for,  to- 
gether with  the  centers  in  the  interior  and  in  the  face  of 
obstructions  such  as  have  been  named,  it  will  be  seen  how 
tremendous  was  the  undertaking.  It  became  necessary  for 
the  Board  to  subdivide  its  work  into  districts  in  order  to  get 
it  well  in  hand.  By  this  timely  means  the  difficult  and 
more  remote  parts  of  the  state  were  gradually  brought  into 
sympathy  with  the  work  of  the  Board  and  thus  large  sec- 
tions of  the  state  were  saved  to  the  denomination. 

To  labor  on  the  field  in  Texas,  to  traverse  its  boundless 
leagues,  and  to  hold  intact  the  forces  in  every  part  of  the 
field  required  more  than  ordinary  administrative  ability. 
The  organization  of  a  new  mission  district  on  the  western 
frontier,  with  Rev.  J.  T.  Harris  as  assistant  superintendent 
of  missions,  was  one  of  the  new  enterprises  of  the  Board. 

In  closing  his  elaborate  report  Doctor  Holt  expressed 
the  opinion  that  the  churches  of  the  state  should  give  $50,000 
to  state  missions  and  sustain  200  missionaries !  At  that  time 
this  would  have  appeared  the  limit  of  ultimate  possibility, 
yet  within  a  few  years  the  churches  of  Texas  were  giving 
more  than  twice  the  amount  of  the  limit  which  he  set,  and 
the  laborers  had  multiplied  immensely  beyond  his  possible 
and  prospective  figure.  There  were  at  the  session  of  the 
State  Convention  held  at  Houston  certain  difficulties  which 
arose  to  the  retention  of  Dr.  A.  J,  Holt  as  superintendent  of 
missions.     He  was  associated  with  Dr.   S.  A.  Hayden  as 


r520  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

jdint  editor  and  owner  of  the  ])a]K'r  on  which  tlie  constit- 
uency of  the  Board  was  divided.  This  was  a  hindrance  to 
Doctor  Holt  in  his  heroic  work,  and  none  felt  it  more  keenly 
than  himself.  In  addition  to  this,  there  were  certain  local 
difficulties  with  the  local  church  of  which  he  was  a  member. 
This  led  to  criticism,  which  was  largely  overcome  by  the 


DR.  ALBERT  THEODORE  SPALDIXG,  ATLANTA,  GA. 

(Born  in  Elbert  Co.,  Ga.,  Oct.  20,  IS.Sl  ;  graduated  from  Mercer  I'ni- 
versity  in  18.">1,  and  from  Mercer's  Tlieologi<al  Seminary  in  1853  : 
ordained  and  married  in  Ail<en,  S.  C,  to  Miss  Constantia  Rosamond 
Schaffner,  of  Charleston  ;  he  was  pa.stor  in  Madison,  Ga.,  I'hiladelphia, 
Pa.,  Selma  and  Mobile,  Ala.,  then  of  tlie  AValnut  St.  Church,  Louisville, 
Ky.,  then  10  years  at  the  Second  Church,  Atlanta,  <ia.,  and  then  10 
years  at  First  Cliurch,  Galveston,  Tex.  lie  has  now  been  preaching  r»6 
years  and  is  76  years  old,  in  good  mental  and  physical  condition :  he 
began  the  Orijhans'  Home  of  Louisville.  Ky. ;  lie  was  tlirce  times  president 
of   the   Texas   Baptist   General    State    Convention.) 

correction  of  objections  involving  his  dissolution  with  the 
Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,  and  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll,  in  a  state- 
ment before  the  Convention,  reviewed  the  situation  and 
earnestly  recommended  the  re-election  of  Doctor  Holt  to 
the  position  which  he  had  occupied  w-ith  ability  so  signal. 
But  in  a  statement  in  which  there  was  exhibited  excellent 
spirit.  Holt  voluntarily  declined  re-election.     On  motion  of 


MINGLED  OEDER  AND  DISORDER        321 

Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  that  J.  B.  Cranfill  be  elected  corresponding 
secretary,  which  motion  was  seconded  by  S.  A.  Hayden, 
who  in  seconding  asked  that  the  election  be  by  acclamation, 
the  Convention  chose  Doctor  Cranfill  to  succeed  Doctor 
Holt.  This  was  followed  by  a  resolution  offered  by  J.  B. 
Hardwicke : 

"Whereas,  Rev.  A.  J.  Holt,  D.D.,  has  decl'.-ed  to  accept 
the  position  of  corresponding  secretary  of  this  convention ; 
be  it 

"Resolved,  That  we  express  our  appreciation  of  the  abil- 
ity and  fidelity  with  which  he  has  discharged  his  official 
duties  during  the  term  he  has  served  the  Convention." 

The  special  effort  which  was  being  made  by  the  Baptist 
women  of  Texas  at  this  time  to  effect  a  thorough  organiza- 
tion of  their  forces  was  the  occasion  of  special  endorsement 
by  the  Convention,  and  especially  of  the  mission  of  Miss 
Mina  Everett,  who  had  been  appointed  to  travel  the  state 
over  in  the  promotion  of  such  organization. 

Little  more  than  a  statement  of  the  fact  that  Baylor  Col- 
lege had  been  moved  to  Belton  has  as  yet  been  made  in  this 
record.  The  human  factor  in  this  location  of  the  college 
was  Rev.  M.  V.  Smith,  at  that  time  pastor  at  Belton.  Mr. 
Smith  was  one  of  the  strongest,  ablest  and  most  useful  men 
Texas  Baptists  ever  knew.  He  was  renowned  for  his  gen- 
tleness and  sweetness  of  character,  for  his  far-sighted  busi- 
ness acumen,  for  his  industry,  patience,  pluck  and  perse- 
verance, and  for  the  loving  persistence  with  which  he  cham- 
pioned any  cause  near  to  his  heart.  He  was  at  once  the 
leader  in  the  location  of  Baylor  Female  College  at  Belton, 
and  the  inspiration  which  gave  it  its  high  standing  and  suc- 
cess. It  is  also  true  that  to  Dr.  F.  M.  Law  the  college  ai 
Belton  was  largely  indebted  for  its  remarkable  success  in 
the  beginning  and  for  many  years  following.  In  the  great 
work  achieved  by  this  splendid  institution.  Dr.  Law,  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  was  a  distinct  and  important 
factor.  He  and  M.  V.  Smith  labored  together  as  the 
Jonathan  and  David  of  this  great  school.  Another  whose 
name  should  be  mentioned  here,  and  who  for  many  eventful 
years  gave  the  best  that  was  in  him  to  the  institution  was 
Dr.  John  Hill  Luther,  whose  magnificent  service  as  presi- 


,-^09  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

(k-nt  will  never  be  forgotten.  He,  as  president  of  the  school, 
was  one  of  this  immortal  trio.  While  he  made  no  preten- 
sion to  financial  ability,  his  was  the  head  and  heart  that  led 
in  the  work  of  directing  the  internal  affairs  of  the  college. 
It  is,  moreover,  true  that  no  reference  to  this  period  of  the 
Hfe  of  Baylor  Female  College  could  be  complete  without 
due  mention  of  Mrs.  Luther,  the  beloved  wife  of  Dr.  John 
Hill  Luther.  She  was  one  of  the  most  potent  factors  in  the 
success  of  the  school.  Her  queenly  life,  through  her  gentle 
ministrations  as  matron,  has  been  stamped  upon  hundreds 
and  even  thousands  of  the  hearts  of  Texas  w^omen,  and 
through  this  work  her  name  and  fame  must  endure  forever. 
Charged  with  the  chief  general  work  of  the  denomina- 
tion, Rev.  J.  B.  CranfiU  entered  w^ith  zest  on  his  new  duties 
as  secretary  of  the  Board.  He  was  young,  active,  unusually 
bright,  resourceful  and  popular.  The  great  state  work  was 
just  beginning  to  loom  into  prominence.  The  widely-severed 
district  associations  showed  every  disposition  to  enter  into 
co-operation,  but  the  hand  of  a  master  was  now  needed  to 
wield  executiveness  of  a  superior  type  to  weld  the  mass  into 
co-operation.  The  task  was  herculean,  the  barriers  moun- 
tainous. While  much  effective  work  had  been  done  at  the 
cost  of  titanic  effort  and  immense  treasure,  and  while  the 
field  was  not  uninviting  to  the  man  who  w^as  proof  againsi 
discouragement,  there  seemed  but  slight  inspiration,  after  all, 
when  fully  one-half  of  the  state  still  remained  untouched  by 
evangelistic  effort.  Barring  the  obstruction  of  a  newspaper 
controversy,  the  new  conventional  year  opened  auspiciously. 
The  new  secretary,  J.  B.  Cranfill,  was  buoyant  and  was  rein- 
forced by  as  strong  Board  of  Directors  as  the  Baptists  of 
Texas  could  aflford.  Among  them  w^ere  such  men  as  B.  H. 
Carroll,  W.  R.  Maxwell,  M.  V.  Smith,  W.  H.  Jenkins,  W. 
L.  \Mlliams,  J.  C.  Gentry  and  W.  H.  Dodson,  representing 
genuine  ability,  wisdom,  conservatism,  piety,  progress  and 
aggressiveness.  Stupendous  plans  w^ere  projected  and  meas- 
ures commensurate  were  promptly  adopted.  The  scope  of 
the  work  was  the  evangelization  of  practically  countless 
multitudes  with  limited  resources  at  command,  and  this 
suggested  a  policy  of  the  most  rigid  economy,  endeavoring 
meanwhile  to  elicit  and  combine  means  and  men  hitherto 


MINGLED    OEDER    AND    DISORDER  323 

untouched  by  that  which  was  a  burden  to  those  who  knew 
well  the  situation  in  the  state. 

Throughout  the  interior  the  population  was  rapidly 
growing,  while  toward  the  grazing  lands  of  the  west,  where 
vast  herds  flecked  the  plains,  a  wonderful  transformation 
was  taking  place  in  the  alteration  of  expansive  ranches  into 
crowded  centers  and  blooming  farms.  The  effort  must  be 
made  to  make  the  moral  and  spiritual  growth  of  that  far- 
reaching  region  equal  to  the  progress  in  commerce  and  agri- 
culture, and  the  Baptists  felt  called  on  to  undertake  this 
work.  Then,  too,  special  and  distinct  effort  must  be  made 
to  save  the  negro  population,  as  well  as  the  gathering  thou- 
sands of  Mexicans,  the  sturdy  Germans,  and  the  mild  Scan- 
dinavians. No  state  was  more  liberal  in  its  policy  toward 
the  negro  than  was  Texas.  Repeated  efforts  had  been  made 
to  elicit  the  interest  of  the  Home  Mission  Society  of  New 
York  in  a  special  effort  on  behalf  of  the  colored  people,  but 
not  till  1889  was  this  help  afforded.  The  same  solicitude, 
the  same  effort  was  made  in  behalf  of  the  negro  that  was 
made  for  the  whites. 

The  year  following  the  adjournment  of  the  convention 
at  Houston  was  one  signalized  by  remarkable  activity  on  the 
part  of  Secretary  CranfiU.  The  wisdom  of  the  Board  in 
placing  Harris  on  the  extreme  western  frontier  in  charge  of 
the  work  in  that  vast  region  was  duly  justified  by  the  results. 
This  was  equally  true  in  the  upper  or  Panhandle  district, 
where  Beauchamp  was  wisely  directing  denominational  af- 
fairs. In  the  latter  region  there  were  about  fifty-two  coun- 
ties, which,  while  they  had  some  natural  disadvantages,  were 
tertile  and  productive,  and  the  lands  were  being  rapidly 
taken  up  and  towns  growing  as  by  magic.  Secretary  Cran- 
fiU was  proving  to  be  a  man  of  affairs,  and  was  directing 
with  consummate  skill  the  divers  interests  of  the  state  work. 
He  was  able  to  report  to  the  convention  which  met  in  1890 
that  "co-operation  on  the  part  of  associations,  churches  and 
individuals  obtains  throughout  the  state.  If  there  is  dis- 
affection on  the  part  of  any  association  or  church  it  is  un- 
known to  us,  and  without  exception  the  co-operation  is 
everywhere  spontaneous  and  hearty." 

The  convention  which  met  at  Waxahachie  in  October, 


324  HISTOEY    OF    TRXAS    BAPTISTS 

1890,  was  organized  by  the  election  of  L.  L.  Foster,  presi- 
dent; A.  T.  Spalding,  J.  H.  Stribling  and  R.  C.  Burleson, 
vice  presidents ;  T.  S.  Potts  and  A.  E.  Baten,  secretaries, 
and  J.  B.  Cranfill,  corresponding  secretary.  The  report  of 
the  corresponding  secretary  showed  that  the  greatest  work 
ever  done  in  a  single  year  in  the  missionary  work  in  Texas 
had  been  done  that  year.  Economy  being  one  of  the  prime 
policies  of  the  Board,  more  had  been  accomplished  with  the 
same  facilities  than  ever  before.  The  same  field  was  occu- 
pied, the  same  territory  fostered,  but  the  methods  had  been 
improved.  The  missionaries  employed  during  the  year  num- 
bered one  hundred  and  twenty,  who  had  added  to  the  mis- 
sion churches  4,160  members,  organized  one  hundred  and 
three  churches  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  Sunday-schools, 
and  built  thirty-nine  churches  at  a  cost  of  $29,965,  while 
the  amount  contributed  to  the  work  aggregated  $35,299.62. 
The  fact  was  developed  that  Texas  was  doing  one-third  of 
the  mission  work  which  was  being  done  within  the  territory 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention.  Not  only  was  the  Board 
at  the  session  of  the  Convention  held  at  Waxahachie  de- 
clared out  of  debt,  but  there  was  a  balance  in  the  treasury  of 
$2,601.89.  There  had  been  advancement  in  every  direction 
— more  missionaries  employed,  more  work  accomplished, 
more  churches  and  Sunday-schools  organized,  and  a  great 
increase  in  the  churches  and  associations  to  the  work.  Not 
only  were  all  the  associations  existing  the  year  before  in 
cordial  co-operation  with  the  Board,  but  new  associations 
had  been  organized  and  swung  into  line.  Missionaries  and 
missionary  pastors  had  been  sustained  who,  taken  together, 
were  located  in  thirty-three  of  the  towns  and  cities  of  the 
state.  The  aid  rendered  many  points  in  the  nick  of  time 
enabled  them  to  become  self-sustaining  by  the  close  of 
the  year.  The  spirit  of  liberality  was  among  the  people.  An 
illustration  of  the  generous  disposition  of  the  times,  as  well 
as  an  expression  of  sympathy  for  the  work  now  being  done, 
is  afforded  in  the  liberality  of  Miss  Eliza  McCoy  in  per- 
sonally providing  the  salary  of  Manuel  Trevino,  the  local 
superintendent  of  the  work  among  the  Mexicans  in  the 
region  of  San  Antonio,  and  in  other  parts  of  southern 
Texas. 


MINGLED    ORDER    AND    DISORDER  325 

Reports  from  other  interests  of  the  Baptists  were  just 
as  inspiring  as  were  those  from  different  parts  of  the  mis- 
sion field.  Baylor  University  reported  a  corps  of  twenty- 
six  instructors  and  an  enrollment  of  600  students.  Baylor 
Female  College  had  just  opened  with  the  largest  enrollment 
in  its  history.  That  school  was  manned  by  twenty  teachers 
and  five  assistants. 

Buckner  Orphans'  Home,  which  had  been  from  its  in- 
ception in  1880,  just  ten  years  before,  one  of  the  most  cher- 
ished of  the  Baptist  institutions,  was  thriving  and  grow- 
ing. Its  consecrated  founder,  Dr.  R.  C.  Buckner,  was  doing 
the  work  of  several  men  in  the  maintenance  and  promotion 
of  this  institution.  He  reported  its  steady  enlargement  and 
the  increased  acquisition  of  orphaned  inmates.  It  was  keep- 
ing pace  with  the  progress  of  all  the  other  denominational 
interests  in  the  state,  and  with  commensurate  zeal  ana 
unflagging  devotion  Doctor  Buckner  was  planning  for 
greater  things  in  response  to  the  constant  demand  for  the 
care  of  orphans. 

A  pleasing  incident  of  the  convention  was  the  presenta- 
tion by  Dr.  A.  T.  Spalding,  in  behalf  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Holt,  of  a 
gavel  of  olive  wood,  cut  from  the  Mount  of  Olives,  which 
had  been  recently  visited  by  Doctor  Holt.  An  important 
step  taken  at  this  session  of  the  convention  was  that  of  the 
appointment  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Carroll  as  the  statistical  secre- 
tary of  the  convention. 

The  resignation  of  J.  B.  Cranfill  as  financial  secretary 
had  left  the  Baylor  University  Board  without  an  active  rep- 
resentative on  the  field.  This  position  had  been  filled  for 
a  short  time  by  Dr.  A.  J.  Holt,  when  he  felt  it  his  duty  to 
resign  and  accept  work  elsewhere.  It  was  at  this  time  that 
the  prevailing  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  institution  led 
J.  B.  Riddle  and  R.  F.  Jenkins  to  write  to  Dr.  B.  H.  Car- 
roll, in  which  letters  they  mentioned  the  name  of  a  young 
man,  one  George  W.  Truett,  who  was  at  that  time  teaching 
at  Whitewright,  whom  they  felt  would  be  able  successfully 
to  fill  the  position  of  financial  secretary  of  the  institution. 
J.  B.  Riddle  in  his  letter  spoke  especially  of  the  fact  that 
the  remarkable  thing  about  young  Truett  was  that  he  had 
the  power  of  making  people  do  what  he  asked  them  to  do. 


32  G  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

These  letters  led  Dr.  Carroll  to  write  to  young  Truett  and 
to  ask  him  to  attend  a  missionary  mass  meeting  which  was 
to  be  held  in  January,  1890,  at  McKinney  in  the  interest 
of  all  the  Baptist  causes,  missionary,  educational  and  other- 
wise. Truett  came  and  this  was  his  introduction  to  the 
denominational  work  in  Texas.  What  that  work  is  and  has 
been,  neither  this  nor  any  •  other  earthly  record  can  fitly 
show.  The  chronicler  pauses  here,  however,  to  say  that 
there  was  never  a  more  momentous  day  in  Texas  Baptist 


REV.    ISAAC    SELLERS,    VALLEY    MILLS,    TEXAS. 

history  than  the  day  which  welcomed  George  W.  Truett 
to  the  arena  of  its  successes  and  its  conflicts.  When  later 
he  accepted  the  position  of  financial  secretary  of  Baylor 
University,  and  in  conjunction  with  B.  H.  Carroll  went  forth 
to  raise  the  grinding  debt  with  which  the  institution  was 
harassed,  he  was  by  Dr.  Carroll  denominated  the  "Young 
Joseph"  of  the. Texas  Baptists.  His  success  in  this  position, 
in  which  he  was  so  ably  seconded  and  supported  by  Dr. 
B.  H.  Carroll,  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  stamped 
him  as  a  man  of  extraordinary  power.     These  two  men 


MINGLED    OEDER    AND    DISORDEE  327 

within  a  comparatively  short  space  of  time  raised  the  entire 
debt  of  over  $92,000,  and  thus  succeeded  in  an  achievement 
that  at  that  time  seemed  impossible,  and  which,  considered 
from  any  standpoint,  was  colossal.  Later  on  Mr,  Truett 
entered  Baylor  University  as  a  student,  from  which  insti- 
tution he  subsequently  graduated  with  high .  honors. 

Young  Truett  entered  on  the  Baylor  University  work 
with  great  misgivings.  While  he  had  never  saved  a  dollar  in 
his  life,  he  at  once  pledged  $500  to  the  payment  of  the  Bay- 
lor debt,  and  this  he  paid  out  of  the  small  salary  that  he 
received  while  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  University. 
This  was  characteristic  of  the  man.  He  not  only  gives  him- 
self to  every  undertaking  to  which  he  turns  his  hand  and 
heart,  but  he  gives  freely  of  his  money.  Once  when  a  fra- 
ternal discussion  of  his  salary  was  being  held  between  two 
of  his  deacons  in  Dallas,  one  of  them  said  to  the  other: 
"It  does  not  make  any  difference  how  much  salary  we  pay 
Bro.  Truett.  It  all  comes  back  to  the  Church.  If  we  would 
pay  him  $10,000  a  year,  he  would  give  it  all  back  to  the  ob- 
jects represented  by  the  Church."  This  has  been  charac- 
teristic of  the  man  throughout,  and  there  is  no  department 
of  our  denominational  life  that  has  not  felt  the  impulse  of 
his  gifts. 

As  the  population  of  Texas  grew  and  its  remoter  parts 
came  to  be  settled,  it  was  evident  that  other  schools  than 
those  already  existing  would  have  to  be  created  to  meet  the 
growing  demand.  The  schools  founded  at  this  time  and  in 
the  years  of  the  immediate  future,  with  the  exception  of 
Simmons  College,  became  auxiliary  to  the  two  central  de- 
nominational colleges  already  existing.  Through  the  lib- 
erality of  Rev,  J.  B.  Simmons,  D.D.,  of  New  York,  the 
college  bearing  the  name  of  the  founder  was  established  at 
Abilene.  While  a  charter  was  executed  for  Simmons  Col- 
lege in  1890,  the  school  was  not  prepared  to  open  till  1892. 
Doctor  Simmons,  the  liberal  founder  of  the  school,  wisely 
and  broadly  planned  for  an  institution  that  was  destined 
to  grow  in  proportions  commensurate  with  the  development 
of  that  empire  region  of  which  the  beautiful  town  of  Abilene 
is  the  center. 

While  the  founding  of  Simmons  College  was  due  to  the 


338  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

beneficence  of  one  great  heart — that  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Simmons, 
of  New  York — it  is  indebted  more  for  its  soHdity  and  suc- 
cess to  Rev.  L.  R.  Scarborough,  the  beloved  pastor  at 
Abilene,  than  to  any  other  human  agency.  Mr.  Scar- 
borough is  one  of  the  coming  young  men  of  Texas  who 
has  already  come.  A  graduate  of  Baylor  and  Yale  Uni- 
versities, he  prepared  himself  for  the  practice  of  the  law,  in 
which  his  distinguished  uncle,  Hon.  John  B.  Scarborough, 
won  such  excellent  success.  But  God  had  planned  for  the 
young  man  higher  things,  and  called  him  to  be  a  preacher  of 
His  word.  He  has  had  many  tempting  ofifers  to  leave  Abi- 
lene, and  thus  give  up  his  watchcare  over  Simmons  College, 
but  each  time,  after  mature  deliberation  and  agonizing 
prayer,  he  has  decided  for  his  western  field  of  work.  Evan- 
gelistic to  the  core,  strong  in  intellect,  gentle  in  heart,  of 
strong  and  masterful  executive  ability,  this  young  servant 
of  the  Lord  has,  even  up  to  this  time,  wrought  a  work  that 
renders  him  immortal." 

During  1890  a  charter  was  obtained  for  Howard  Payne 
College  at  Brownwood,  of  which  Rev.  J.  D.  Robnett  was 
the  founder  and  first  president.  Dr.  Robnett,  who  was  a 
native  of  Missouri,  gave  to  this  institution  the  strong  and 
effective  labors  of  the  best  years  of  his  life.  Indeed,  to 
those  who  know  the  facts,  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  really 
laid  his  life  upon  its  altar.  After  having  founded  the  insti- 
tution and  given  it  that  caste  and  standing  that  was  at  once 
the  glory  of  its  founder  and  the  harbinger  of  its  success, 
he  accepted  the  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Washington 
Avenue  Church  at  Dallas.  He  labored  here,  however,  but 
a  short  time,  and  died  during  1898,  never  having  fully  re- 
covered from  the  strain  incident  to  the  establishment  of  this 
magnificent  Baptist  school.  Prof.  J.  H.  Grove  is  now  the 
honored  president  of  the  institution,  and  of  him  and  his 
connection  therewith  a  more  extended  reference  is  made  in 
another  place  in  this  record.  It  is  proper  to  say  in  connec- 
tion with  Howard  Payne  College  that  in  its  establishment 
Rev.  J.  D.  Robnett  was  ably  seconded  by. his  consecrated 
wife,  Mrs.  Dollie  P.  Robnett,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Isaac  Sellers, 
of  Valley  Mills,  Texas.  She  is  one  of  the  most  gifted  and 
most  useful  of  our  Texas  Baptist  women. 


MINGLED    OEDER    AND   DISOEDER  329 

The  year  1890  closed  with  every  indication  of  future 
prosperity  to  the  denomination  for  the  remaining  years  of 
the  decHning  century.  But  for  the  discordant  utterances 
of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  no  situation  could  have 
been  more  tranquil.  As  it  was,  however,  there  were  ominous 
signs  of  future  trouble.  Repeated  efforts  were  made  to  still 
the  distraction,  but  it  was  useless.  During  this  year  the 
Southern  Baptist  Convention  met  at  Forth  Worth,  The 
handsome  new  house  of  worship,  which  had  been  built  by 
Rev.  J.  Morgan  Wells,  furnished  a  meeting  place  for  the 
convention.  The  cause  in  this  rapidly-growing  city  was 
comparatively  young,  the  First  Church  having  been  organ- 
ized only  seventeen  years  before,  in  1873.  After  a  check- 
ered career  of  years,  Doctor  Wells  was  called  from  Mount 
Sterling,  Kentucky,  and  new  life  came  to  the  Baptist  cause. 
The  stone  building  in  which  the  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion met  in  1890  was  the  finest  that  had  ever  been  built  in 
the  state.  It  was  an  occasion  of  serious  regret  that  the 
gifted  pastor  was  quite  ill  during  the  session  of  the  conven- 
tion, and  could  not  be  present  excepting  on  one  incidental 
occasion. 

As  usual,  the  Convention  held  in  Texas  was  largely  at- 
tended by  people  from  every  quarter  of  the  state.  The 
enthusiasm  of  the  great  gathering  was  imparted  throughout 
the  state,  and  some  questions  settled  by  that  session  had  an 
important  bearing  on  the  future  policy  of  the  denomination 
in  Texas. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

RETROSPECTIVE  AND  I'ROSPECTIVE. 

The  changes  wrought  within  little  more  than  three  score 
years  by  a  single  denomination  of  Christians  within  a  region 
which  had  to  be  tamed  from  the  raw  conditions  of  a  wilder- 
ness, are  most  interesting  in  their  retrospect.  Sixty-six 
years  ago  Freeman  Smalley  lifted  his  voice  in  the  rude  camp 
on  Red  river  as  perhaps  the  first  of  the  Baptists  to  do  so  in 
these  western  wilds.  Two  generations  have  since  come  and 
gone.  The  tongues  of  the  fathers  have  long  been  silent. 
They  fought  a  good  fight,  they  kept  the  faith,  they  finished 
their  course,  and  have  entered  into  the  possession  of  their 
crowns.  But  their  successors  have  been  just  as  worthy.  If 
the  advantages  of  the  successors  were  greater  and  their 
tasks  easier  of  performance,  they  were  equally  onerous  with 
those  who  went  before  by  reason  of  the  excess  of  accom- 
plishment. 

The  years  have  waxed  more  strenuous  as  they  have  in- 
creased, and  the  multiplied  advantages  have  brought  com- 
mensurate results.  For  a  long  period,  the  pack-horse  was 
the  only  means  of  transportation  across  the  wide  plains,  over 
the  broad  face  of  which  were  here  and  there  dotted  the 
cabins  of  the  settlers.  In  those  days  of  primitive  customs  a 
scrawny  pony  bearing  his  peculiar  western  brand  was  con- 
sidered a  great  luxury.  It  was  a  period  of  peril  when  the 
Baptist  missionary,  astride  his  jogging  palfrey,  with  his 
stufifed  saddle-bags  thrown  across,  and  equipped  with  his 
rifle  and  Bible,  scoured  the  broad  plains  in  search  of  widely- 
scattered  settlements  that  he  might  bear  to  the  isolated 
pioneer  the  Bread  of  Life.  The  lurking  Indian  savage  and 
the  treacherous  Mexican  were  alike  objects  of  constant  ap- 
prehension to  the  man  who  found  his  way  alone  across  the 
treeless  plains. 

330 


EETEOSPECTIVE  AND  PEOSPECTIVE      33 1 

But  a  better  and  brighter  day  was  in  store  for  the  strug- 
ghng  men  of  the  untamed  prairies.  The  tramp  of  thousands 
from  different  and  distant  quarters  was  heard  with  increas- 
ing vohmie  as  the  years  crept  by.  The  elements  of  civiHza- 
tion  were  finding  their  way  across  the  Father  of  Waters 
into  the  boundless  and  unpeopled  plains  of  the  Far  West, 
and  anon  roads  were  opened  up,  vehicles  were  brought 
slowly  into  use,  the  wagon  and  the  stage-coach  rumbled 
across  the  great  plains,  home  life  was  improved,  the  com- 
forts of  clothing  and  shoes  were  once  more  enjoyed  and,  most 
of  all,  political  independence  and  absolute  religious  freedom 
were  accorded,  and  the  land  bounded  forward-  on  its  onward 
march  of  advancement.  The  meeting  house  for  sacred  wor- 
ship and  the  school  house  for  educational  training  rose  side 
by  side,  and  these  twin  sisters  of  civilization  began  a  work 
of  progress  upon  which  all  else  was  to  be  buttressed.  Vil- 
lages began  to  cluster  over  the  prairies;  plains  covered  with 
coarse,  wiry  grass  from  times  primeval  were  breaking  out 
in  the  radiant  bloom  of  cultivation,  and  the  black  soil,  with 
its  hidden  treasures  of  wealth,  yielded  its  luxuriant  results. 
The  hum  of  industry  now  filled  the  land,  and  the  goddess 
of  plenty  poured  from  her  cornucopia  the  elements  of  pros- 
perity over  a  region  where  only  a  few  years  before  the 
buffalo  roamed  unmolested  and  the  wild  herds  grazed  with- 
out fear.  Then  came  a  long  and  bloody  Civil  War,  and  ac- 
tivity came  to  a  standstill,  while  the  youth  of  the  land  found 
untimely  graves  on  distant  fields  of  battle,  and  the  scene  at 
home  was  changed  to  one  of  orphanage  and  widowhood. 
Scarcely  less  disastrous  was  the  period  which  followed.  De- 
struction and  reconstruction  were  practical  synonyms  to  the 
people  of  Texas.  Prostration,  stagnation,  desolation,  came 
like  a  triple  nightmare  to  all  pursuits.  Fertile  farms,  once 
the  domain  of  proud  owners,  became  valueless  only  as  the 
proprietors  eked  out  a  bare  subsistence,  as  the  gateways  of 
commerce  were  closed,  while  the  tyrant  of  reconstruction 
held  sway.  Men  grappled  with  difficulty  like  giant  wres- 
tlers in  the  Olympian  games.  The  heel  of  the  tyrant  was 
on  the  neck  of  Southern  chivalry,  the  test  of  whose  prowess 
had  failed  in  honorable  warfare. 

But  as  winter  toughens  the  fiber  of  the  wood,  even  so 


332  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

in  the  providential  planning  of  the  period,  men  were  uncon- 
sciously becoming-  stronger  for  the  new  spheres  which 
awaited  them  in  the  immediate  future.  When  the  tide  did 
turn  it  found  giants  ready  to  grasp  the  situation  with  steady 
hand,  and  bear  the  fortunes  of  the  state  to  a  consummation 


REV.    JEFF    D.    RAY,    PASTOR    OF    JAMES    STREET,    WACO,    TEXAS. 

(Born  Victoria  Co..  Toxas..  Nov.  24,  1860  :  ancestors  were  pioneei's, 
being  citizens  of  the  Republic  of  Texas  ;  was  converted  at  Lockhart,  1879  ; 
joined  Bastrop  Baptist  church,  and  licensed  to  preach,  1880 ;  graduated 
at  Baylor  University,  ISSU  ;  married  Josephine  Ward,  at  Brcnham,  1885; 
except  two  vears  a"s  Supt.  of  Tex.  S.  S.  work,  has  been  pastor  all  his 
ministerial  life;  Louisville  Seminary,  1895  to  1S97  ;  D.  D.,  Baylor  Uni- 
versity, 1903 ;  member  Trustees  Baylor  Univ.,  Board  B.  G.  C.  of  Tex., 
Mod.  and  Pres.  Board  Waco  Assn.,  i'res.  Tex.   Pastors'  Conference.) 

undreamed  of  by  the  pioneers  of  other  days.  Providence 
always  has  its  compensations.  If  darkness  falls  on  life  it  is 
like  the  black  thunder  cloud  in  the  bosom  of  which 
always  sleeps  the  brightest  lightning.  From  affluence  to 
poverty  the  South  \vas  reduced,  but  the  days  of  darkness 
w-ere  contributive  to  the  stalwart  equipment  of  men   and 


EETKOSPECTIVE  AND  PEOSPECTIVE       333 

women  to  meet  the  returning  tide  of  prosperity.  If  the  old 
things  of  the  South  pass  away,  with  the  many  dehcate 
touches  and  civiHties  known  only  to  the  social  life  of  the 
section,  and  if  along  with  these  went  the  misconceptions  of 
what  genuine  life  is,  its  people  were  schooled  in  adversity 
to  seize  with  substantial  and  practical  grip  the  elements  of 
prosperity  of  a"  new  era  and  turn  them  to  ready  account. 
The  moral  and  intellectual  fiber  of  the  South  was  strained 
to  its  utmost,  but  it  proved  to  be  the  training  time  of  giants. 
Preserving  that  which  was  best  in  the  traditions  of  the 
South,  the  people  emerged  from  the  thrall  of  gloom  strong- 
er and  sturdier  than  before,  without  a  stain  of  honor,  but  the 
rather,  wearing  the  laurels  of  victory  because  of  their  mar- 
velous endurance. 

With  the  return  of  better  and  more  buoyant  days  came  a 
propulsion  in  all  quarters  of  activity,  and  to  wider  and  more 
effective  spiritual  endeavor.  Churches  and  schools  were  re- 
habilitated, and  though  hindered,  the  cause  grew.  An  ap- 
parent check  was  experienced  in  the  division  of  honest  sen- 
timent in  the  ranks  of  the  Baptist  denomination.  For  the 
time  all  energies  seemed  ill-directed  and  the  forces  broken 
and  scattered.  Long  and  sore  was  the  struggle,  doubtful 
the  issue ;  but  God  reigned,  and  from  the  dust  of  strife  the 
churches  emerged  the  better  for  the  contest.  The  fruitful 
germ  of  Providence  is  in  all  seeming  disaster,  and  no  bright- 
er illustration  is  found  than  in  the  cordial  reunion  of  long- 
contending  Baptist  forces. 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way. 
His  wonders  to  perform." 

When  the  Baptists  of  Texas  entered  the  gateway  of  the 
final  decade  of  the  nineteenth  century  they  were  as  serried 
as  the  panoplied  ranks  of  an  army  of  ancient  Greece — and 
just  as  aggressive.  From  the  past  they  had  brought  lessons 
of  caution  and  wisdom,  the  present  pulsed  with  stimulative 
energy,  and  the  future  was  brightened  with  the  flush  of  hope. 
That  which  had  survived  through  a  long  period  of  darkness 
and  of  doubt,  gave  fresh  nerve  and  kindling  enthusiasm  for 
the  undertakings  yet  to  come.    From  the  outset  of  the  career 


334  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

of  the  denomination  wisdom  had  been  shown  by  a  prompt 
seizure  of  the  germs  of  prospective  towns  and  cities,  no 
matter  what  the  cost  of  effort  or  of  means,  and  while  never 
neglecting  the  country  districts,  they  did  not  commit  the 
error  of  some  of  the  older  states  of  expending  on  the  coun- 
try all  energy,  to  the  disregard  of  the  central  seats  of  popu- 
lation. 

The  Baptists  of  Texas  shared  in  the  spirit  of  adventure 
and  enterprise  and  kept  pace  with  the  advancing  step  of  the 
commercial  column  in  all  the  spheres  of  denominational 
activity.  After  the  lapse  of  little  more  than  sixty  years, 
during  much  of  which  time  they  struggled  for  every  inch 
of  ground  which  they  occupied,  they  had  succeeded  in  plant- 
ing strong  churches  from  the  gulf  to  the  Panhandle,  and 
from  Louisiana  to  the  plains  of  the  west.  In  every  city 
the  Baptists  had -gotten  a  footing.  Their  church  edifices 
were  stately,  their  congregations  large,  their  pastors  strong. 
In  all  the  spheres  of  activity,  in  commercial,  social,  judicial 
and  political  life,  the  Baptists  were  potent.  From  a  single 
representative  in  a  colonial  camp  on  the  river,  little  more 
than  sixty  years  before,  they  had  come  to  be  a  mighty  host 
of  200,000.  They  were  the  pioneers  of  education  in  Texas ; 
many  of  the  most  conspicuous  leaders,  alike  on  the  field  and 
in  the  forum,  in  the  formative  stages  of  the  new  empire 
were  Baptists.  Their  institutions  of  learning  were  founded 
sufficiently  in  advance  of  the  subsequent  development  of 
the  state  to  enable  the  students  from  Baptist  schools  to 
become  principal  sharers  in  this  work.  From  the  schools  of 
Baptists  in  Texas  had  gone  those  whose  fame  was  already 
continental,  and  whose  eloquence  had  thrilled  some  of  the 
most  cultured  assemblages  of  the  nation.  Along  with  other 
things  has  been  the  preservation  in  this  empire  state  of  the 
most  unadulterated  loyalty  to  the  form  of  sound  doctrine. 
While  Baptists  are  rigid  in  orthodoxy,  just  as  rigid  as  the 
r>ible  prescribes  and  no  more,  they  are  as  broadly  conserva- 
tive in  tone  as  the  preaching  of  the  Son  of  God.  Mean- 
while they  have  been  aggressively  progressive,  as  they  have 
widened  the  scope  of  their  work  in  response  to  the  demand 
of  advancing  eras.  To  be  sure,  heresies  have  anon  crept  in 
with  forbidding  front  and  discordant  tone,  but  they  were 


RETEOSPECTIVE  AND  PROSPECTIVE      335 

never  tolerated  in  the  ranks  of  Baptist  people.  With  pa- 
tience and  forbearance  always,  heresy  has  been  dealt  with, 
but  it  was  duly  expelled  when  the  hour  of  necessity  came. 
Denying  to  no  one  ever  to  hold  what  views  he  might,  yet 
if  he  entertained  and  sought  to  promulgate  views  in  the 
ranks  of  the  denomination  while  under  a  hostile  flag,  this 
privilege  was  promptly  denied.  Preserving  intact  the  mold 
of  doctrine.  Baptists  of  Texas  have  been  scrupulously  con- 
sistent throughout.  If  men  must  teach  heresy  they  must  do 
so  outside  the  Baptist  pale.  The  cause  advocated  by  the 
people  called  Baptists  in  Texas  may  have  been  marred  by 
seasons  of  divided  sentiment  of  policy,  but  by  heresy,  never. 
The  one  could  be  cured  by  readjustment  of  conditions,  but 
the  other  was  vital  and  fundamental  in  its  wreck  and  ruin. 
As  one  generation  of  Baptists  has  followed  another,  it  has 
come  into  an  atmosphere  unclouded  by  distorted  doctrine 
and  free  from  the  miasm  of  newfangled  belief.  The 
preaching  of  the  gigantic  men  who  grappled  with  the  prob- 
lems of  pioneer  civilization  was  lofty  in  spirit  and  apostolic 
in  tone,  and  they  were  the  men  to  set  the  pace  of  a  denomi- 
nation the  power  and  influence  of  which  was  destined  to 
be  felt  to  the  utmost  confines  of  the  globe.  Through  the 
years  Baptists  have  sought  to  honor  God  by  a  strict  adher- 
ence to  the  principles  which  He  has  given  for  human  guid- 
ance and  development,  and  in  turn  God  has  honored  them. 
A  mighty  force,  the  Baptists  of  Texas  enter  on  the  work 
of  the  years  of  a  declining  century.  Other  struggles  await 
them  in  the  not  remote  future,  other  and  peculiar  difficulties 
are  yet  to  be  met  and  other  battles  are  to  be  fought  before  the 
field  is  cleared;  but  the  grace  of  Christ  hadmade  them  victors 
before,  and  it  would  do  so  again.  Efforts  at  disruption  will 
be  made,  discord  the  harshest  will  come,  but  they  were  too 
well  seasoned  in  the  kiln  of  adversity  and  too  well  drilled  in 
the  school  of  conflict  to  balk  at  the  obstructions  which  selfish 
ambition  might  roll  in  the  way  in  the  years  to  come.  They 
had  met  and  overcome  before,  and  could  do  so  again.  They 
were  soon  to  be  called  on  to  face  the  most  insidious  and 
persistent  difficulty  yet  encountered,  but  their  ranks  were 
now  too  solid  to  be  seriously  broken ;  their  eyes  were  too 
steadfastly  fixed  on  the  urgent  demands  of  a  period  big 


336  IIISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

with  possibility,  and  their  hearts  too  resolutely  set  on  the 
accomplishment  of  great  things  for  the  Master  to  be  turned 
aside,  even  by  the  most  ingenious  devices  ever  conceived  in 
the  hearts  of  men.  They  were  not  to  be  misled  by  sinister 
motive,  nor  made  pliant  to  the  demands  of  vaulting  ambi- 
tion. Among  them  were  leaders  who  were  seriously  thought- 
ful, devoutly  consecrated,  conspicuous  for  greatness,  and 
amply  able  to  grannie  with  the  sorest  of  problems  and  the 
most  gigantic  sordidness. 

Notwithstanding  the  financial  pressure  of  the  time,  the 
year  1891  opened  auspiciously  to  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  The 
forces  were  never  more  active,  and  work  was  never  done 
with  more  telling  effect.  Every  available  agency  within 
reach  was  laid  under  tribute  to  the  promotion  of  the  cause. 
Barring  the  newspaper  difficulty,  every  condition  favored 
denominational  advancement.  Could  a  wise  and  consecrated 
organ  at  this  time  have  led  the  way,  it  is  impossible  to  cal- 
culate what  the  advantage  would  have  been.  The  pulpits 
of  the  state  were  never  so  ablv  manned  as  at  this  time.  Dr. 
B.  H.  Carroll,  who  had  long  been  a  prince  among  the  Bap- 
tists, was  the  pastor  of  the  church  at  Waco,  and  in  the 
projection  of  vast  plans  of  denominational  endeavor  was 
ably  sanctioned  by  Rev.  A.  M.  Simms,  of  Dallas ;  Rev.  E.  E. 
King,  of  San  Antonio;  Dr.  J.  H.  Stribling,  of  Rockdale; 
Rev.  C.  D.  Campbell,  of  Cleburne;  Rev.  R.  B.  Garrett,  of 
Austin ;  Rev.  M.  V.  Smith,  of  Belton ;  Rev.  Jeff  D.  Ray,  of 
Huntsville ;  Rev.  J.  B.  Hardwicke,  of  Luling ;  Rev.  T.  S. 
Potts,  of  Dallas;  Rev.  A.  E.  Baten,  of  Fort  Worth;  Drs. 
J.  L.  Lloyd  and  F.  M.  Law,  of  Bryan ;  Rev.  A.  J.  Fawcett, 
of  Tyler ;  Revs.  W.  C.  Friley  and  J.  M.  Carroll,  of  Taylor ; 
Dr.  A.  T.  Spalding,  of  Galveston,  and  hundreds  of  others. 

The  several  institutions  fostered  by  the  Baptists  of 
Texas  were  also  ably  equipped.  President  Burleson  was  pre- 
siding with  the  ripeness  of  years  and  with  skilled  ability 
over  Baylor  University,  while  Prof.  P.  H.  Eager  was  direct- 
ing with  success  the  girls'  school  at  Belton.  Buckner  Or- 
phans' Home  was  expanding  with  each  successive  year 
under  its  affable  and  philanthropic  founder.  Dr.  R.  C.  Buck- 
ner, who  w^as  rapidly  reaching  the  hearts  of  thousands,  and 
aside  from  the  immediate  work  of  rearing  orphans  and  ol 


EETROSPECTIVE  AND  PROSPECTIVE       337 

fitting  them  for  the  rough  encounters  of  the  world,  was  aid- 
ing in  a  material  way  in  the  development  of  the  beneficence 
of  the  denomination  by  eliciting  its  sympathy  and  aid  for  an 
institution  which,  because  of  its  good  work  and  the  noted 
prominence  to  which  it  had  attained,  had  come  to  be  known 
far  beyond  the  confines  of  the  state.  Rev.  H.  M.  Burroughs 
was  prosecuting  with  energy  and  with  pathetic  zeal  the 
interests  of  the  Ministers'  Relief  Board  by  rendering  aid  to 
the  aged  and  infirm  servants  of  Jesus  Christ — men  who  had 
grown  gray  and  infirm  in  building  the  great  fabric  of  a 
denominational  system,  to  the  cause  of  which  they  were  un- 
able longer  to  devote  their  energies.  Against  a  strong  tide 
of  financial  hindrance.  Rev.  J.  B.  Cranfill  was  engineering 
the  state  mission  work,  which  touched  and  afifected  most 
vitally  every  denominational  interest  in  the  state.  He  had 
infused  into  the  work  a  marvelous  spirit  of  enterprise,  and 
under  a  splendid  administrative  ability  was  guiding  its  af- 
fairs with  singular  power.  Not  less  conspicuous  were  the 
noble  Baptist  women  of  Texas,  at  the  head  of  whom  was 
Mrs.  Fannie  Breedlove  Davis,  of  San  Antonio,  who  with 
devoted  coadjutors  in  dififerent  quarters  of  the  state,  was 
extending  the  organization  of  their  forces  in  the  centers, 
and  penetrating,  far  and  wide,  the  churches  of  the  interior. 
The  zeal  of  consecrated  womanhood  of  the  early  days  of 
Christianity  was  being  reproduced  in  Texas. 

From  the  beginning,  Texas  Baptists  had  been  blessed  by 
the  possession  of  strong  and  wise  laymen  who  gave  immense 
reinforcement  to  the  management  of  Baptist  affairs,  not 
alone  in  the  local  churches,  but  in  the  general  movements 
of  the  denomination.  Among  many  others  of  this  period 
may  be  named  Colonel  W.  L.  Williams,  of  Dallas,  long  noted 
for  his  calm  counsel  and  ripe  wisdom;  George  B.  Davis  of 
San  Antonio,  who  was  second  to  none  in  business  capability, 
and  one  on  whom  the  Baptists  of  Texas  had  leaned  for 
many  years  as  one  of  their  chief  props  in  the  management 
of  their  afifairs ;  W.  H.  Jenkins,  discreet  and  firm  and  most 
tenacious  of  purpose,  whose  services  had  many  times  proved 
valuable  to  the  denomination;  F.  L.  Carroll,  as  benevolent 
as  he  was  firm,  and  as  modest  as  he  was  pious ;  J.  B.  Scar- 
borough, noted  for  his  keen  discrimination  and  legal  acu- 


338  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

men,  whose  service  was  in  frequent  demand  and  was  always 
copious  and  liberal ;  L.  L.  Foster,  whose  skill  as  a  presidinj^ 
officer  and  whose  judgment  in  the  councils  of  the  denomina- 
tion were  in  frequent  demand.  These  were  a  few  of  the 
men  in  the  pew  who  were  rendering  valuable  service  at  a 
time  when  the  denomination  w^as  in  need  of  just  such  de- 
voted leaders.  Others  still  were  coming  into  prominence 
under  the  steady  development  of  the  churches  by  progressive 


REV.     W.     T.     McMULLEN,     I'AtiTOU     HUNTINGTON,     TEXAS. 

(Has  been  preaching  26  years;  all  bis  active  ministry  has  been  in- 
Angelina  Co.,  where  he  was  converted ;  he  joined  the  church  at  Center, 
where  he  was  a  member  24  years,  and  pastor  20  years ;  has  baptized 
1,UUU  converts  and  has  married  150  couples.) 

pastors.  Among  these  may  be  notably  named  C.  C.  Slaugh- 
ter, W.  B.  Denson  and  George  W.  Carroll,  all  of  whom  were 
destined  in  the  near  future  to  hold  conspicuous  stations  in 
the  ranks  of  the  denomination. 

licsides  these,  still  a  number  of  young  ministers  was  just 
coming  into  view,  of  whom  we  shall  have  occasion  to  hear 
in  tlie  subsequent  pages  of  this  narrative.  George  W.  Truett, 
financial  secretary  of  Baylor  University,  was  called  into  the 


EETROSPECTIVE  AND  PROSPECTIVE       339 

service  for  a  period  by  reason  of  his  peculiar  gifts  and  recog- 
nized ability  to  assist  in  relieving  the  financial  stress  of  that 
institution.  It  was  during  this  year  that  he  first  won  distinc- 
tion as  a  young  man  of  ability,  whose  early  efforts  were  pro- 
phetic of  the  power  since  shown.  A.  J.  Harris,  unique  and 
eloquent  as  a  preacher,  was  well  to  the  front  iii  the  Baptist 
ministry  of  the  state ;  J.  B.  Riddle,  vivacious  of  spirit,  ready 
of  utterance  and  consecrated  in  purpose,  was  already  being 
sought  in  the  councils  of  the  denomination,  and  J.  M.  P. 
Morrow,  whom  the  people  heard  gladly — these  were  among 
the  young  ministers  of  the  period  toward  whom  and  others 
the  denomination  was  turning  its  eyes  for  the  stations  of  the 
future. 

A  brief  review  of  the  history  of  the  denomination  has 
been  summarized  in  the  preceding  pages  and  we  now  deal 
with  the  living  present. 

With  the  increasing  ease  of  accessibility  afforded  by  the 
railroads  to  every  part  of  the  state,  and  with  the  liberality 
shown  to  the  active  workers  of  the  denomination,  a  fact 
which  the  Baptists  of  the  state  can  never  forget,  as  espe- 
cially in  times  of  financial  stringency  the  railroads  were 
found  to  be  the  readiest  and  most  timely  of  assistants,  the 
denomination  was  able  to  penetrate  every  part  of  Texas  in 
the  promotion  of  its  work.  Never  before  were  churches  in 
any  part  of  the  continent  and,  indeed,  of  the  world  more  rap- 
idly organized,  or  district  associations  more  rapidly  formed. 
Every  one  who  had  a  mind  to  work  seemed  adjusted  to  his 
proper  relations  and  was  active  in  his  sphere.  For  the 
period  and  the  stage  of  progress  reached  by  the  denomina- 
tion, the  organization  of  the  Baptist  hosts  could  not  be  com- 
pleter than  it  was  in  1891,  yet  many  churches  were  yet  un- 
reached by  the  vitality  which  had  come  of  recent  years  to 
the  denomination.  Still  there  were  difficulties,  pregnant  of 
evil,  growing  athwart  the  way  of  denominational  progress. 
There  was  a  lingering  hope  that  these  might  be  averted,  yet 
the  gathering  storm  gave  but  little  hope  of  escape.  With 
extraordinary  patience  the  journalistic  difficulty  was  borne, 
because  the  denomination  was  loath  to  be  drawn  into  fresh 
friction  for  any  reason  whatsoever.  Hopeful  that  some 
favorable  turn  might  come  in  the  current  of  affairs,  wise 


340  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

leaders  were  reluctant  to  take  any  decisive  step  to  avert 
what  seemed  a  disastrous  difficulty  toward  which  it  was 
being  rapidly  borne.  Every  possible  conciliatory  effort  was 
made  to  stem  the  tide  of  journalistic  trouble,  but  up  to  this 
time  these  attempts  had  been  unavailing.  No  way  of  relief 
was  yet  open.  The  conviction  was  becoming  deeply  rooted, 
however,  that  another  paper  would  have  to  be  established 
to  offset  the  influence  now  prevailing.  Men,  wise  and  good, 
desirous  of  turning  to  advantage  the  vast  facilities  which 
Providence  had  placed  within  reach,  looked  toward  the 
future  not  without  ominous  foreboding.  Under  the  pres- 
ent stress  progress  could  not  be  made  equal  to  the  advan- 
tages afforded.  Every  branch  of  denominational  activity 
was  suffering  from  partial  paralysis,  because  of  untimely 
journalistic  utterances.  Relief  from  a  situation  so  dis- 
tressful was  not  yet  within  sight  of  mortal  vision. 

According  to  appointment,  the  Convention  for  1891  met 
at  Waco  on  October  9.  L.  L.  Foster  was  again  chosen 
president,  J.  H.  Stribling,  R.  C.  Burleson  and  F.  M.  Law, 
vice  presidents,  and  T.  S.  Potts  and  A.  E.  Baten,  secre- 
taries. The  spirit  of  the  convention  found  an  appropriate 
voice  in  the  introductory  sermon  of  the  occasion,  preached 
by  R.  B.  Garrett,  of  Austin,  from  the  text:  "Go  forward." 
A  number  of  distinguished  visitors  was  present,  among 
whom  were  W.  H.  Whitsitt  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  I.  T.  Tichenor  of  the  Home  Board,  J.  M. 
Frost  of  the  Sunday-school  Board,  S.  H.  Ford  of  the  Chris- 
tian Repository,  W.  P.  Harvey  of  The  Western  Recorder, 
E.  E.  Folk  of  The  Baptist  and  Reflector,  T.  P.  Bell  of  the 
Foreign  Board,  and  W.  D.  Powell  of  Mexico. 

Around  the  report  of  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
State  Board  was  grouped  the  interest  of  the  body.  Diffi- 
culties of  more  than  ordinary  character  had  been  encoun- 
tered by  Secretary  Cranfill  during  the  year,  and  there 
was  some  anxiety  lest  the  work  might  fall  short  of  its  past 
record.  The  reading  of  the  report  was  listened  to  with 
deep  interest.  A  sense  of  relief  came  to  the  Convention 
as  the  comprehensive  results  of  the  year's  work  were  un- 
folded. The  statement  in  the  outset  that  "in  many  respects 
it  is  the  largest  year's  work  ever  done  in  the  history  of 


EETROSPECTIVE    AND    PROSPECTIVE  341 

Texas  missions"  brought  relief,  cheer  and  stimulation. 
Notwithstanding  it  was  a  period  of  severe  financial  depres- 
sion, the  achievements  of  the  Board  had  been  marvelous. 
Less  than  ever  before  outside  help  had  been  derived,  yet 
6,041  new  members  had  been  added  to  the  churches  during 
the  year,  almost  two-thirds  the  number  reported  by  the 
Home  Board,  operating  in  fourteen  states,  two  territories 
and  the  island  of  Cuba. 

It  had  been  a  year  of  phenomenal  activity,  in  which 
one  hundred  and  forty-three  missionaries  had  been  em- 
ployed, who,  among  other  important  feats,  had  been  mstru- 
mental  in  the  organization  of  one  hundred  and  seven  new 
churches  and  two  hundred  and  six  Sunday-schools,  while 
there  had  been  collected  for  state  missions  an  amount  ag- 
gregating $35,510.35,  to  which  the  Home  Mission  Board 
had  added  $5,015.45.  Co-operative  work  with  the  district 
associations  had  been  broadened,  and  in  five  of  the  largest 
centers,  the  State  Board  had  aided  in  city  evangelization. 
The  salaries  of  pastors  in  seventy-three  towns  and  cities 
were  supplemented,  as  the  churches  at  those  points  were 
helped  forward  toward  the  point  of  self-maintenance.  The 
work  had  been  very  prosperous  in  the  western  and  Pan- 
handle districts,  where  churches  not  organized  eighteen 
months  before,  had  sufficiently  increased  in  numbers  as  to 
form  one  or  more  associations.  In  the  case  of  the  Llano 
Estacado  Association  every  church  had  been  organized  with- 
in the  last  year  and  a  half.  Five  associations,  not  organized 
one  year  ago,  had  been  constituted  and  brought  into  active 
co-operation.  Other  and  distinct  branches  of  the  work  had 
similarly  prospered.  Work  among  the  negroes,  under  the 
able  leadership  of  one  of  their  number,  Rev.  A.  R.  Griggs, 
the  superintendent  of  the  colored  mission  work,  had  thriven 
throughout  the  year,  as  had  the  work  among  the  Ger- 
mans, Mexicans  and  Scandinavians  resident  in  Texas. 

The  convention  showed  its  loyalty  to  the  Southern  Bap- 
tist Theological  Seminary  by  responding  to  the  appeal  of 
Doctor  Whitsitt  in  behalf  of  the  students'  fund  with  the  sum 
of  $1,210.  With  equal  readiness  it  pledged  its  continued  sup- 
port to  the  Foreign  Mission  Board  with  $2,844.25  in  response 
to  appeals  from  Drs.  Bell  and  Powell.  Rev.  H.M.  Burroughs, 


343  nrSTORY    OF    TF.XAS    BAPTISTS 

the  corresponding'  secretary  of  the  Ministers"  Rehef  Fund, 
reported  collections  from  all  sources  for  that  work  to  the 
amount  of  $4,609.75.  The  increased  growth  of  the  schools 
was  signal,  as  during  the  past  session  678  students  had  been 
enrolled  at  Baylor  University,  and  the  present  session  had 
opened  auspiciously.  During  the  preceding  year  there  were 
forty-seven  ministerial  students  at  Baylor  University.  For 
seven  months,  as  has  heretofore  been  noted,  George  W. 
Truett,  the  financial  secretary,  had  lent  signal  aid  by  raising 
funds  for  the  school.  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  had  been  released 
by  his  church  to  take  the  field  in  the  same  interest.  The 
past  year  had  been  one  of  an  active  campaign  in  behalf  of 
denominational  education,  the  claims  of  which  had  become 
more  urgent  because  of  the  growth  of  advantage  enjoyed 
by  the  institutions  of  the  state.  As  a  result  of  the  campaign 
many  friends  were  won  to  Christian  education.  For  obvious 
reasons  the  convention  aligned  itself  with  the  National  Bap- 
tist Education  Society,  which  had  been  organized  to  assist 
Baptist  colleges  throughout  the  country.  For  the  cause 
represented  by  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  and  Rev.  George  W. 
Truett  the  members  of  the  Convention  pledged  $6,345. 
Baylor  Female  College  had  enrolled  during  the  past  year 
256  students,  and  the  popularity  of  the  school  had  so  grown 
that  additional  buildings  were  necessary,  and  for  this  pur- 
])t)se  $25,000  or  $30,000  was  needed.  The  custom  then 
being  to  make  an  appeal  for  pledges  for  the  state  work  for 
the  year  following,  in  order  to  have  a  nucleus  for  beginning 
the  work,  $5,816  was  the  amount  promised  as  the  result  of 
an  appeal. 

The  work  of  J.  M.  Carroll,  the  statistical  secretary  of 
the  Convention,  proved  to  be  in  many  respects  fundamental, 
as  it  furnished  a  clew  to  many  existing  difficulties.  Yet  the 
statistics  as  reported  by  him  were  acknowledged  to  be 
partial  and  imperfect.  There  were  in  round  numbers  at 
this  time,  so  far  as  could  be  ascertained  through  corre- 
spondence sent  over  the  field,  125,000  Avhite  Baptists  in 
Texas,  1,971  ministers,  of  whom  only  889  were  pastors. 
There  were  2,221  churches,  376  of  which  were  without 
pastors.  The  development  still  necessary  and  that  which 
excited  deeper  interest  in  the  State  Board  work,  was  that 


EETROSPECTIVE    AND    PEOSPECTIVE  343 

1.3 1 8  churches  contributed  nothing  to  associational  mis- 
sions; 1,410  contributed  nothing  to  foreign  missions,  and 
only  188  gave  anything  to  Home  Missions,  while  nearly 
one-half  failed  to  contribute  to  any  mission  cause  whatever. 
In  view  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the  denomination,  to  the 
churches  of  which  there  was  a  net  gain  of  almost  if  not- 
quite  9,000  during  the  past  year,  the  work  of  welding  these 
incoherent  forces  was  a  tremendous  one.  If,  on  the  one 
hand,  the  denomination  was  inspired  by  the  accomplish- 
ments of  the  past,  it  saw  in  the  future  of  the  work  difficulties 
of  immense  proportions. 

Buckner  Orphans'  Home  had  at  this  time  203  inmates, 
and  during  the  year  $23,000  had  been  expended  in  main- 
taining the  Home  and  in  the  erection  of  necessary  build- 
ings. The  sum  of  $1,061.16  was  pledged  for  the  work  for 
the  next  year.  At  that  time  the  Sunday-school  Board  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  was  in  its  infancy.  Up  to 
the  time  of  its  creation,  a  year  or  two  before,  the  field  had 
been  occupied  by  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society. 
At  this  session  the  convention  committed  itself  to  the  new 
Sunday-school  Board  by  the  adoption  of  the  following  as 
offered  by  B.  H.  Carroll : 

"Resolved,  That  we  earnestly  approve  of  the  creation 
by  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  of  a  Sunday-school 
Board,  and  pledge  our  sympathies,  prayers  and  contribu- 
tions in  furtherance  of  the  objects  for  which  the  Board  was 
created. 

"Resolved,  That  we  earnestly  recommend  to  the 
churches  composing  this  convention  the  Sunday-school  pub- 
lications as  in  every  way  worthy  of  their  patronage  and 
support." 

•At  this  session  of  the  body  was  given  the  first  distinct 
recognition  of  the  movement  on  the  part  of  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Baptist  Young  People's  Union  in  the  state  by  a 
series  of  emphatic  and  cordial  resolutions  offered  by  R.  T. 
Hanks.  Prior  to  the  meeting  of  the  State  Convention  at 
this  time,  the  young  people  had  organized  their  own  Con- 
vention in  June  at  Fort  Worth,  of  which  T.  S.  Potts,  of 
Bonham,  became  the  first  president,  and  A.  E.  Baten  the 
corresponding  secretary.     The  movement  was  destined  to 


344 


IIISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


exert  an  immense  influence  on  the  denomination  in  the 
state.  During  the  same  year,  the  first  session  of  the  National 
Convention  of  the  young  people  was  organized  at  Chicago, 
and  Texas  was  honored  with  the  position  of  the  first  vice- 
presidency  of  that  body,  to  which  position  J.  B.  CranfiU  was 
elected,  and  he  was  elected  to  the  same  position  the  follow- 
ing year. 

As  has  before  been  said  in  these  pages,  there  was  a 
growing  recognition  of  the  creation  of  schools  secondary 


HKV.   \VM.  A.   IIAMLETT,  PASTOR   SECOND  CHURCH,  DALLAS,   TEX. 


to  the  chief  schools  for  the  sexes  in  the  state.  Two  others 
of  these  schools,  the  North  Texas  Baptist  College  at  Jacks- 
boro,  and  the  Northwest  Texas  Baptist  College  at  Decatur, 
were  incorporated  in  1891.  The  creation  of  these  schools 
was  one  of  the  signs  of  the  progress,  development  and 
enlightenment  abroad  among  the  Baptists  of  the  state  at 
this  time.  The  following  year,  1892,  was  destined  to  bring 
many  important  changes.  The  first  of  these,  which  oc- 
curred near  the  beginning  of  the  year,  was  that  of  the  resig- 
nation of  J.  B.  Cranfill  as  corresponding  secretary  and  su- 


RETROSPECTIVE    AND    PROSPECTIVE  345 

perintendent  of  missions  of  the  State  Board.  His  resigna- 
tion was  to  take  effect  in  February  of  that  year,  but  he 
yielded  to  the  desire  of  the  board  to  withhold  action  in  the 
matter  till  the  end  of  the  first  quarter. 

In  order  to  simplify  the  work,  and  in  order,  too,  to 
greater  compactness  of  organization,  most  of  the  State 
Board  deemed  it  wise  to  consolidate  the  mission  work  in 
the  state  by  dispensing  with  the  representative  agents  of  the 
two  general  boards,  the  Home  and  Foreign.  Submitting 
the  plan  to  the  two  boards,  the  action  or  desire  of  the  State 
Board  of  Texas  was  acquiesced  in.  At  the  same  time  that 
J,  B.  Cranfill  resigned  from  the  secretaryship  of  the  State 
Board,  B.  H.  Carroll  tendered  his  resignation  as  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Board.  J.  M.  Carroll  was  chosen  to  succeed 
J.  B.  Cranfill,  and  C.  D.  Campbell,  of  Cleburne,  succeeded 
B.  H.  Carroll. 

Coincident  with  the  announcement  of  his  retirement 
from  the  secretary-ship  of  the  State  Mission  Board,  J.  B. 
Cranfill  became  associated  with  M.  V.  Smith  in  the  pur- 
chase of  The  Western  Baptist.  This  purchase  was  effected 
in  February,  1892.  The  proprietors  of  The  Western  Bap- 
tist were  Rev.  Lewis  Holland  and  Rev.  R.  T.  Hanks.  M.  V. 
Smith  and  J.  B.  Cranfill  bought  the  paper  from  them,  and 
took  actual  possession  of  it  on  March  i,  1892,  changing  the 
name  from  The  Western  Baptist  to  The  Texas  Baptist 
Standard.  The  paper  continued  to  be  published  in  Dallas 
until  the  following  July,  at  which  time  it  was  removed  to 
Waco  and  its  publication  begun  under  new  conditions. 
When  Smith  and  Cranfill  bought  The  Western  Baptist  Dr. 
J.  B.  Gambrell,  then  of  Mississippi,  was  assisting  M.  V. 
Smith  in  a  meeting  at  Belton.  He  had  been  asked  by  Dr. 
Smith  to  come  at  that  time,  partly  because  of  the  contem- 
plated purchase  of  the  paper.  He  was  asked  to  join  Smith 
and  Cranfill  in  the  publication  of  the  paper  as  joint  editor 
and  proprietor.  He  sympathetically  considered  the  matter, 
and  went  so  far  as  to  write  a  few  editorials  for  the  paper 
under  its  new  management,  but  after  returning  to  his  home 
in  Mississippi  he  found  that  his  engagements  there  were 
such  that  they  could  not  be  easily  relinquished,  and  he  there- 


346  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

fore  did  not  take  up  the  work  that  Smith  and  Cranfill  were 
so  anxious  for  him  to  undertake  with  them. 

Afifairs  had  reached  such  a  pitch  in  denominational  jour- 
nahsm  in  the  state  that  many  wise  brethren  thought  that  a 
movement  looking  to  the  creation  or  publication  of  another 
paper  was  absolutely  necessary  to  the  welfare  of  the  de- 
nomination. The  sentiment  in  favor  of  such  an  enterprise 
was  pronounced  throughout  the  state,  that  a  journal  repre- 
sentative of  the  interests  of  the  State  Board  and  its  work 
was  indispensable  to  the  continuance  of  that  work.  In  this 
sentiment  the  best  and  wisest  men  of  the  denomination  in 
the  state  concurred.  It  was  most  fortunate  for  the  denomi- 
nation that  the  two  men  who  assumed  the  proprietorship  of 
the  paper  were  those  who  were  in  every  way  adapted  to 
the  undertaking.  Rev.  J.  B.  Cranfill  was  born  to  the  pen. 
To  natural  aptitude  was  added  that  of  a  clearness  of  style 
that  is  unique,  all  of  which  is  characterized  by  an  under- 
tone of  humor  that  gives  a  delightful  flavor  to  his  produc- 
tions. Deprived  of  scholastic  advantages,  he  is  favored 
with  an  acuteness  of  discrimination  and  a  mental  sensitive- 
ness which  enables  him  to  detect  the  correctness  of  diction 
in  a  manner  which  usually  costs  great  effort  on  the  part  of 
others.  His  vocabulary  is  that  of  the  people,  w^ho  follow  his 
thought  with  ease,  while  its  unconventional  piquancy  is 
delightful  to  the  more  scholarly.  A  manager  f)f  affairs  of 
the  higher  order,  he  is  able  to  give  to  his  other  qualities 
of  editorship  that  which  makes  the  superior  man  on  the 
tripod.  Rev.  M.  V.  Smith  was  scholarly,  yet  simple  and 
direct,  forceful  and  persuasive.  He  was  a  man  of  broad 
and  versatile  culture,  a  universal  favorite  among  those  who 
knew  him  best,  a  gentleman  of  polished  address  and  a  safe 
and  sane  leader.  This  was  the  combination  of  editorial 
equipment  with  which  the  new  enterprise  was  begun. 

The  beginning  of  a  new  paper  seems  to  have  been  re- 
garded as  the  hoist  of  a  rival  flag,  if  not  of  a  hostile  one, 
lay  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  and  the  clash  of  thought 
began  afresh.  The  struggle  in  journalism  began  anew  and 
was  continued  through  the  remaining  years  of  the  century, 
and  even  beyond.     The  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  rose  to 


EETEOSPECTIVE    AND    PROSPECTIVE  347 

fierceness,  and  even  to  bitterness,  and  was  the  occasion  of 
much  distraction  in  the  ranks  of  the  denomination. 

In  this  connection  the  fohowing  quotation  is  given  from 
a  tract  prepared  by  Dr.  J.  B.  Gambrell  for  general  circula- 
tion entitled,  "The  Evolution  of  the  Texas  Situation" : 

*T  had  no  disposition  in  the  world  to  embark  in  a  news- 
paper enterprise  in  Texas,  but  as  the  situation  was  opened 
up  more  and  more,  I  became  convinced  that  something  like 
that  would  have  to  be  done  or  else  the  work  of  unification 
so  well  begun  would  come  to  nothing.  It  was  apparent  that 
already  Dr.  Hayden  had  alienated  large  numbers  of  the 
most  influential  men  of  the  state  from  him,  and  that  he 
could  not  longer  unify  and  lead  the  people.  Dr.  Hayden, 
finding  by  some  of  the  ways  known  to  himself,  what  was 
contemplated,  came  down  to  Belton  and  had  an  interview 
with  me.  He  presented  his  claim  to  the  state.  He  desired 
to  go  into  all  the  troubles  of  the  past,  presenting  a  valise 
full  of  papers  which  I  declined  to  read.  I  finally  presented 
to  him  the  condition  of  things  as  it  appeared  to  my  mind, 
as  I  had  been  made  to  see  it  by  the  brethren,  and  told  him 
candidly  that  I  believed  that  the  conditions  in  Texas  de- 
manded that  TJic  Western  Baptist  be  bought  out  and  the 
location  changed,  so  that  the  fight  could  cease.  He  then 
urged  me  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  it,  admitting  that  that 
was,  perhaps,  the  best  thing  that  could  be  done,  but  alleging 
that  his  personal  friendship  for  me  led  him  to  urge  me  to 
hands  ofT,  for  said  he:  Tf  you  get  into  the  paper,  you'll 
get  hurt.'  And  then  he  urged  that  I  have  nothing  to 
do  with  it  because  I  would  give  strength  to  the  paper  and 
would  'make  it  more  difficult  to  destroy  it.'  I  have  never 
forgotten  the  keen,  strong  impression  that  bold  statement 
made  upon  my  mind." 

The  situation  was  gravely  embarrassed,  as  the  discussion 
went  beyond  the  confines  of  the  state  and  became  a  subject 
v^diich  excited  no  little  interest  elsewhere.  The  Texas  Bap- 
tist Standard  contented  itself  with  a  more  calm  and  con- 
servative tone,  and  while  it  parried  the  blows  of  the  oppos- 
ing journal,  by  its  dignity  won  its  way  to  the  heart  of  the 
denomination  at  large.  Its  evident  policy  was  to  vindicate 
the  work  which  was  the  subject  of  so  much  abuse  at  the 


348  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

hands  of  the  other  paper.  The  State  Board  now  had  a 
mouthpiece  through  which  it  could  reach  the  people,  and  its 
operations  began  with  a  greater  feeling  of  security.  Under 
such  conditions  the  work  of  the  board  was  begun  with  re- 
newed zeal.  Changes  of  a  far-reaching  character  were 
made,  and  the  policy  of  the  Board  was  made  conformable  to 
the  vastness  of  the  work  to  which  it  had  been  brought  under 
Secretary  Cranfill.  Among  the  changes  which  were  found 
to  be  necessary  was  that  of  the  appointment  of  a  general 
missionary,  the  first  to  be  appointed  in  the  state.  His  mis- 
sion was  to  visit  the  different  parts  of  the  vast  field,  ascer- 
tain the  needs  of  each  in  detail,  so  as  to  give  more  intelligent 
direction  to  the  general  work,  visit  the  missionaries  them- 
selves, and  by  the  touch  of  mediation  bring  the  workers 
directly  into  immediate  relations  with  the  Board.  The  real 
conditions  of  the  fields  which  had  long  been  beneficiaries 
of  the  Board  needed  to  be  known,  while  churches  and  local- 
ities needed  to  be  stimulated,  so  as  to  come  to  rely  on  them- 
selves rather  than  on  the  Board.  Then  the  rapid  growth  of 
towns  in  the  state  demanded  the  presence  of  a  representa- 
tive of  the  Board  to  secure  the  bonus  advantages  which 
were  customarily  aft'orded  new  churches  seeking  sites. 

One  of  the  pleasing  incidents  of  the  closing  days  of  J.  B. 
Cranfill's  work  as  Superintendent  of  Missions  was  the 
presentation  to  him  of  a  beautiful  gold-headed  cane.  This 
graceful  tribute  to  the  retiring  secretary  was  given  him 
while  the  Texas  delegation  were  en  route  to  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  which  met  that  year  in  Atlanta,  Ga. 
The  presentation  speech  was  made  by  Dr.  J.  Morgan  Wells. 

About  the  middle  of  the  year  1892  two  of  the  leading 
pastors  of  the  state  died.  Dr.  J.  H.  Stribling  and  Rev.  C.  D. 
Campbell,  one  dying  on  the  nth  of  August  and  the  other 
on  the  13th.  Doctor  Stribling  was  a  representative  of  the 
generation  next  succeeding  that  of  the  pioneer  ministers  of 
the  state.  He  was  one  of  the  connecting  links  between  the 
two  distinct  periods  of  denominational  history.  When  he 
died  he  was  within  one  month  of  his  seventieth  birthday, 
and  for  full  forty  years  had  preached  in  Texas,  honored 
and  beloved  by  his  brethren.  He  had  passed  through  the 
tribulations  from  the  beginning,  and  had  been  an  ardent 


KETEOSPECTIVE    AND    PROSPECTIVE  349 

sharer  in  the  development  of  the  denomination  in  the  state. 
He  was  honored  many  times  by  the  convention  as  a  vice 
president,  was  pastor  of  some  of  the  most  important  pas- 
torates in  the  state,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the 
pastor  at  Rockdale.  He  was  a  man  of  spotless  life  and  a 
preacher  of  commanding  influence.  He  died  at  Eureka 
Springs,  Arkansas. 

Rev.  C.  D.  Campbell  was  a  native  of  Georgia  and  the 
son  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Campbell,  D.D.,  a  distinguished  preacher 
and  author.  No  man  who  ever  came  to  the  state  enjoyed 
more  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  brethren.  Void  of 
self-seeking,  and  wholely  unaffected,  he  was  a  genial,  com- 
panionable gentleman  whose  native  dignity  and  superior 
culture  fitted  him  for  the  highest  circles  of  refinement.  At 
the  time  of  his  death,  Mr.  Campbell  was  the  pastor  at  Cle- 
burne, and  president  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Bap- 
tist General  Convention  of  Texas.  His  remains  were  taken 
to  his  native  state,  where  he  sleeps  beside  his  father  till 
the  resurrection  morning.  To  each  of  these  distinguished 
men  of  God  a  memorial  page  was  devoted  in  the  Conven- 
tion Minutes  for  1892. 

The  work  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Carroll  as  secretary  of  the 
Board  and  superintendent  of  missions  was  attended  with 
considerable  hindrance  and  embarrassment.  He  had  to 
assume  the  work  at  the  close  of  the  second  quarter,  and  had 
to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  details  while  he  had  to  prose- 
cute it.  Then  the  change  in  the  policy  of  the  work  of  the 
Board  was  attended  at  first  with  the  difficulty  of  adjust- 
ment to  the  new  conditions,  and  just  after  taking  charge 
of  the  office  the  president  of  the  Board  died.  These  ac- 
cumulated difficulties  were  not  relieved  by  the  opposition 
of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  and  its  continued  crit- 
icisms. 

The  Baptist  General  Convention  met  in  1892  at  Belton. 
The  officers  chosen  were :  R.  C.  Burleson,  president ;  W.  R. 
Maxwell,  F.  M,  Law  and  A.  J.  Fawcett,  vice  presidents, 
and  T.  S.  Potts  and  A.  E.  Baten,  recording  secretaries. 
The  visitors  present  were  J.  M.  Frost,  I.  T.  Tichenor,  E.  C. 
Dargan  and  Benjamin  Griffith,  the  secretary  of  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Publication  Society. 


350  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

The  annual  report  of  the  corresponcHng  secretary  and 
superintendent  of  missions  covered  only  two  quarters  of 
the  year,  from  April  to  September.  There  were  in  the  em- 
])loymcnt  of  the  Board  one  hundred  and  ten  missionaries, 
thirty-eight  of  whom  were  laboring  among  the  foreigners 
and  the  negroes  of  the  state.  Missionary  work  was  carried 
on  in  eighty-four  counties,  and  the  missionaries  had  aided  in 
the  organization  of  sixty-five  churches  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty  Sunday-schools,  had  added  to  the  churches  2,787 
members  by  baptism  and  letter,  and  had  collected  from  the 
field,  $19,355.94.  The  financial  panic  was  at  its  height  and 
money  was  exceedingly  scarce.  The  combination  of  condi- 
tions forced  the  secretary  to  report  an  indebtedness  of  the 
Board.  Secretary  Carroll,  who  had  but  recently  served  as 
the  agent  of  the  Foreign  Board  in  Texas,  reported  that 
more  had  been  contributed  to  that  cause  during  this  most 
stringent  year  than  during  any  preceding  year  in  the  history 
of  the  denomination  in  the  state,  the  total  amount  for  that 
cause  being,  in  1892,  $14,436.57.  The  spirit  of  missions  w^as 
manifestly  abroad  among  the  Baptist  churches  of  Texas. 
The  printed  page  largely  did  the  work.  Large  quantities 
of  tracts  and  copies  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Journal  were 
distributed  and  read,  and  more  sermons  were  preached  on 
the  subject  of  missions  than  ever  before  during  a  single 
year.  As  a  result,  contributions  were  multiplying  and  the 
numerous  rills  of  minor  gifts  swelled  the  general  current, 
while  they  left  a  fruitful  soil  in  their  wake.  The  result  was 
so  wdiolesome  that  the  secretary  announced  it  as  his  purpose 
to  see  to  it  that  at  least  one  sermon  should  be  preached  on 
missions  in  each  of  the  2,395  churches  in  the  state  during 
the  approaching  year.  He  recognized  the  necessity  of  a 
wider  diffusion  of  the  spirit  of  giving,  as  the  contributions 
to  all  causes  had  been  for  a  number  of  years  from  a  given 
constituency.  As  the  interests  had  grown  and  the  demands 
had  correspondingly  increased,  the  contributions  had,  in  some 
instances,  become  burdensome.  As  at  ])resent  conducted, 
the  means  derived  had  been  only  to  supply  the  demands  of 
temporary  emergencies,  while  the  time  was  coming,  if  the 
interests  continued  to  expand,  when  greater  means  would 
be  needed,  and  the  Board  in  sheer  defense  had  to  press  the 


RETKOSPECTIVE  AND  PROSPECTIVE      351 

matter  of  beneficence  beyond  anything  which  had  hitherto 
been  done.  Then,  too,  the  churches  needed  that  beneficence 
be  cultivated  for  their  own  sakes  that  they  might  be  saved 
from  dry-rot.  With  a  commendable  breadth  of  vision  these 
things  were  easily  detected  by  the  plain  business  eye  of  the 
practical  secretary,  and  to  correct  these  and  remedy  the 
situation,  was  one  of  his  purposes. 

In  recognition  of  the  claims  of  the  Southern  Baptist 
Seminary  the  sum  of  $1,032.35  was  pledged  to  Professor 
Dargan  for  the  students'  fund  of  that  institution.  The 
untiring  secretary  of  the  Ministers'  Relief  Board,  Rev. 
H.  M.  Burroughs,  pressed  the  claims  of  that  cause  on  the 
convention.  He  reported  that  at  last  a  home  had  been 
provided  for  the  infirm  and  disabled  ministers  of  the  de- 
nomination at  Lampasas.  It  was  made  a  veritable  home 
with  spacious  grounds  about  it,  large,  airy  rooms  and  outer 
galleries,  all  of  which  was  surrounded  by  shades,  while  the 
grounds  were  ornamented  with  shrubbery.  Around  the 
home  were  all  the  conveniences  of  stock  lots,  patches  and 
gardens,  which  afforded  to  the  inmates  recreation  from 
monotony,  as  they  cared  for  these  interests.  Despite  the 
stringent  year,  Mr.  Burroughs  had  been  able  to  collect  for 
this  interest  the  sum  of  $3,270.98. 

The  reports  from  the  two  denominational  schools  at 
Waco  and  Belton  were  both  inspiring  and  discouraging. 
Inspiring  because  of  the  patronage,  the  character  of  the 
work  done  alike  by  the  students  and  the  faculty,  and  the 
tone  of  religious  sentiment  pervading  the  institutions ;  but 
discouraging  because  of  a  lack  of  facilities  to  meet  the 
rapid  growth  of  demand  made  on  the  institutions.  Baylor 
University  was  still  burdened  with  debt,  notwithstanding 
Doctor  Carroll  and  George  W.  Truett  had  raised  during 
the  year  $33,000  to  meet  the  emergency.  The  growth  of 
the  denomination  and  the  corresponding  and  necessary 
growth  of  the  schools  demanded  an  increase  of  facilities,  a 
fact  which  the  denomination  was  slowly  coming  to  learn. 

At  this  session  Doctor  Carroll  proposed  that  on  condi- 
tion that  $25,000  could  be  raised  by  January,  1893,  the 
National  Baptist  Education  Society  would  give  $15,000, 
which  would  relieve  the  institution  of  all  indebtedness  and 


353  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

enable  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  that  institution  to  turn  it 
over  to  the  denomination  with  all  its  equipments,  valued  at 
$200,000,  absolutely  free  of  all  encumbrance  and  debt.  Fol- 
lowing his  announcement  pledges  for  $3,118.50  were  taken 
on  the  spot.  It  was  an  inspiration  to  learn  that  seven  hundred 
students  had  been  in  attendance  on  the  school  during  the 
year   past.      Baylor   Female   College   was   still   flourishing. 


REV.  W.  W.  MORRIS,  PASTOR,  MT.   VI<]RNON,  TEXAS. 

(Born  Butler  Co.,  Ala.,  Dec.  19,  1868;  came  to  Texas,  1880;  ordained 
Sept.,  1905 ;  has  always  labored  in  Rehoboth  Assn.,  where  he  has  been 
pastor  of  churches  and  associational  missionary ;  he  is  at  present  pastor 
at  Mt.  Vernon — the  same  church  that  he  joined  when  he  was  converted ; 
Ills  work  has  been  abundantly  blessed.) 

The  standard  of  the  school  had  been  raised,  the  faculty 
enlarged,  and  the  facilities  increased.  Its  financial  claims 
were  held  in  reserve  for  the  time  in  deference  to  the  press- 
ing question  of  the  needs  of  Baylor  University.  Rev.  T.  J. 
Walne,  of  Mississippi,  had  been  prospectively  engaged  as 
the  financial  agent  of  the  school,  and  would  soon  enter  on 
his  duties. 

ATuch  was  being  said  at  this  time  about  the  centennial  of 


KETT^OSPEr'TTVE    AND    PKOSPEr'TTVE  p,5r> 

foreign  missions  in  commemoration  of  the  work  under- 
taken by  William  Carey  one  hundred  years  before.  It  was 
entered  on  as  a  campaign  of  education  in  behalf  of  missions 
in  foreign  parts.  The  movement  received  some  marked  and 
entlnisiastic  attention  at  this  session  of  the  convention. 

The  usual  plan  of  the  time  was  adopted,  of  procuring 
pledges  for  the  work  of  state  missions  for  the  following 
year,  and  pledges  for  $4,155.20  were  given  for  this  cause. 
The  report  of  Buckner  Orphans'  Home  was  an  elaborate  and 
instructive  one,  and  in  detail  furnished  an  insight  into  the 
management  of  the  Home  and  the  character  pf  its  inmates. 
"The  family,"  as  the  founder  was  pleased  to  call  it,  was 
every  year  increasing  in  numbers.  Of  the  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  occupants  of  the  Home  there  were  representa- 
tives from  Germany*  Italy,  Switzerland,  Mexico,  Greece, 
and  many  from  the  different  states  of  the  Union.  These 
came  from  conditions  as  religiously  diverse  as  they  differed 
in  nationality  and  sectionally.  The  children  of  infidels,  of 
those  of  no  faith,  of  Presbyterians,  Disciples,  Catholics, 
Episcopalians,  Congregationalists,  Adventists,  and  of  the 
Salvation  Army  were  housed  together  with  the  children  of 
Baptists  within  the  hospitable  Home.  While  they  were 
afforded  educational  advantages,  they  were  at  the  same  time 
trained  in  the  useful  arts  of  industry.  Many  had  gone  from 
the  fostering  Home  and  were  useful  men  and  women. 

An  effort  had  been  made  during  the  year  to  consolidate 
and  harmonize  the  interests  of  the  Sunday-school  work  in 
the  state,  so  as  to  reduce  it  to  some  generally  acceptable 
basis,  as  the  work  was  being  done  in  part  by  the  Sunday- 
School  Board  of  the  Southern  Convention  and  in  part  by 
the  State  Sunday- School  Board ;  but  the  local  managers 
thought  it  wise  to  continue  as  heretofore. 

It  was  during  the  year  1892  that  J.  B.  Cranfill  became  the 
nominee  for  the  vice  presidency  of  the  National  Prohibition 
Party.  He  made  an  active  canvass  of  the  entire  country, 
and  on  one  occasion,  at  W^esson,  Mississipjii,  in  August, 
1892,  occurred  an  incident  which  illustrated  his  keen  appre- 
ciation of  the  ridiculous  and  the  ignorance  and  blindness  of 
partisanism.  Inasmuch  as  the  town  had  no  hall  of  sufficient 
dimensions  to  accommodate  a  large  audience,  it  was  agreed 


'551  ITTSTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

tliat  Doqtor  Cranfill  should  address  the  people  in  front  of 
the  town  tavern.  It  was  a  wonderfully  bright  moonlight 
night,  and  an  immense  audience  was  gathered.  Mr.  B.  T. 
Hobbs,  a  well  known  Prohibitionist  of  Mississippi,  intro- 
duced the  speaker,  who  proceeded  in  one  of  his  characteristic 
arraignments  of  the  liquor  traffic  and  of  all  political  parties 
who  are  in  coalition  with  the  liquor  forces.  At  the  conclu- 
sion of  Doctor  Cranfill's  address,  as  though  by  a  precon- 
certed plan,  some  of  the  anti-prohibitionists  began  to  call 
for  a  lawyer  whose  name,  for  the  purposes  of  this  incident, 
will  for  the  moment  be  called  Smith. 

The  crowd  yelled,  "Smith!  Smith!  Smith!"  and  the  law- 
yer, with  a  show  of  reluctance,  appeared  on  the  platform  to 
reply  to  the  speech  of  Cranfill.  Smith's  speech  ran  the 
crowd  mad  with  excitement,  as  it  was  felt  that  Cranfill  had 
been  demolished.  Of  course  it  was  manifestly  improper  for 
a  candidate  for  the  vice  presidency  to  engage  in  debate  with 
a  local  lawyer,  but  at  the  conclusion  of  Smith's  speech  Mr. 
Hobbs  arose  and  said  that,  while  Doctor  Cranfill  could  not 
afiford  to  engage  in  a  discussion  with  any  other  than  with 
one  of  his  peers  (and  here  the  crowd  jeered  as  though  it 
was  thought  that  Smith  had  paralyzed  Cranfill  and  that  he 
was  not  able  to  reply),  still,  continued  Mr.  Hobbs,  after  the 
demonstration  had  ceased,  he  thought  that,  in  view  of  the 
speech  just  made.  Doctor  Cranfill  should  be  allowed  a  few 
minutes  to  respond.  Finally,  and  apparently  with  great 
reluctance,  Doctor  Cranfill  again  took  the  platform  and, 
after  highly  complimenting  Mr.  Smith's  speech,  said : 

"Fellow  citizens,  you  will  recall  that  I  said  in  my  address 
this  evening  that  the  voters  of  the  South  were  simply  follow- 
ing the  jingle  of  an  old  party  name.  I  do  not  believe,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  that  you  endorse  your  own  platform.  Al- 
though many  of  you  are  good  Democrats,  I  do  not  believe 
that  you  stand  by  the  money  plank  in  the  Democratic  plat- 
form. My  contention  is  that  we  are  confronting  new  issues, 
and  that  the  greatest  single  issue  in  America  is  the  annihila- 
tion of  the  liquor  traffic.  I  will  now  read  to  you  the  money 
plank,  and  let  us  see  if  you  endorse  it." 

Doctor  Cranfill  opened  the  political  text-book  of  that 
year  and  read  what  purported  to  be  the  money  plank  in  the 


EETEOSPECTIVE    AND    PROSPECTIVE  355 

Democratic  platform.  After  finishing  it,  and  slowly  laying 
the  book  down,  he  asked:  "Now,  fellow  citizens,  every 
Democrat  present  who  endorses  the  plank  which  I  have  just 
read  will  please  rise  to  his  feet."  There  was  a  tremendous 
scramble,  and  hundreds  of  men  stood  up,  as  if  to  emphasize 
in  the  most  marked  way  possible  his  approval  of  the  plank. 
Mr.  Smith,  who  had  made  the  spread-eagle  speech  in  defense 
of  the  Democratic  party,  scrambled  up  on  a  chair  and  stood 
like  Casablanca  on  the  burning  deck,  "as  born  to  rule  the 
storm."  After  the  excitement  incident  to  the  vote  had  sub- 
sided, Doctor  Cranfill  resumed  : 

"Now,  fellow  citizens,  we  have  had  a  great  demonstra- 
tion of  the  truth  of  that  which  I  before  said — that  you  be- 
loved Democrats  of  the  South,  instead  of  voting  for  prin- 
ciple, are  following  the  jingle  of  an  old  party  name.  I  have 
just  read  you  what  you  supposed  to  be  the  money  plank  of 
the  Democratic  platform,  when,  in  truth,  I  read  the  plank  of 
the  Republican  platform,  and  every  mother's  son  of  you  en- 
dorsed it.  Even  my  distinguished  friend,  Mr.  Smith,  who 
stood  on  his  chair  in  endorsement  of  it,  and " 

Doctor  Cranfill  could  proceed  no  further.  The  ridiculous- 
ness of  the  situation  was  such  that  further  speech  was  out 
of  the  question.  The  demonstration  which  followed  is  be- 
yond description.  Everybody  roared — Populists,  Republic- 
ans and  Prohibitionists — and  even  the  Democrats,  with  an 
appropriate  appreciation  of  the  easy  entrapment,  joined  in 
the  hilarity. 

The  meeting  closed,  but  in  the  meantime,  after  having 
shriveled  up  till  he  was  hardly  discernible.  Smith  quietly 
slipped  away.  This  ended  his  career  in  the  community  of 
Wesson.  So  great  was  his  discomfiture  that  he  soon  after 
closed  his  law  office  and  shook  the  dust  of  Wesson  from  his 
feet  forever. 

The  next  morning  all  the  great  dailies  of  America  pub- 
lished the  story,  which  survives  as  one  of  the  most  humorous 
incidents  of  American  political  campaigns. 


CHAi'TI'lR  XXI. 

MIX(U.ED  DARKNKSS  AND   I.ICirr. 

The  Baptists  of  Texas  were  now  fast  niakino-  histon-. 
There  was  the  stir  of  energy,  the  formation  of  future  plans, 
the  consummation  of  results.  Undismayed  l\v  hindrances — 
and  they  were  many  and  grave — Baptists  were  invincible 
in  their  onward  strides.  True,  the  problems,  both  ])resent 
and  prospective,  were  serious ;  but  there  was  no  halt  in  the 
march,  no  hesitation  even  to  meet  them  with  imblanched 
front.  Conditions  springing  from  the  management  of  a  vast 
cosmopolitan  people,  who  had  rapidly  accumulated  within 
the  borders  of  the  state,  from  the  first  had  been  prob- 
lematical all  along;  but  the  denomination  had  stiffened  and 
strengthened  under  these  influences,  and  it  faced  in  the 
right  direction.  Difficulties  had  toughened  the  fiber  of  the 
denomination,  and  the  grapple  with  stern  ])roblems  had 
strengthened  its  wisdom.  Under  the  guise  of  New  Testament 
liberty,  there  were  not  wanting  those  who  were  mas- 
querading as  leaders  of  reform  while  they  were  seeking  to 
serve  only  selfish  ends,  and  who,  in  the  promotion  of  which, 
would  stab  the  denomination  to  its  vitals,  as  the  measures 
now  in  vogue  would  indicate  :  and  yet  the  great  body  moved 
right  on.  A  marvelous  stock  of  endurance  and  of  patience 
was  needed,  but  these  were  exercised  without  fret  or  chafe, 
in  the  indulgence  of  the  hope  that  (jod  would,  in  His  own 
good  time,  lift  them  out  of  the  way.  Nothing  steadied  the 
denomination  more  than  its  faith  in  these  times  of  ordeal.  In 
the  i)ast.  (iod  had  brought  order  out  of  disorder  and  har- 
mony from  chaos,  and  He  would  do  so  again.  Xor  were 
men  in  the  watch-towers  of  the  denomination  a  whit  more 
zealous  than  were  thousands  who  moved  along  the  dead-level 
of  human  action.  Distinguished  pastors  and  officials  in  the 
highest   functions   vied   with  men,   and   women   too,   in   the 

356 


MINGLED    DARKNESS    AND    LIGHT  357 

obscure  churches  of  the  country  districts  in  the  perpetuation 
of  principles  which  had  made  the  Baptists  a  distinctively 
great  people  in  the  past,  and  with  steadfast  front  they  were 
persisting-  in  the  same  course.  The  tremendous  current  of 
denominational  sentiment  was  sweeping  with  increasing 
speed  through  the  years.  There  were  battles  yet  to  be 
fought  and  victories  to  be  achieved  within  the  ranks  of  the 
denomination  before  the  way  would  be  cleared  for  a  mighty 
movement  to  bring  Texas  to  Christ. 

A  sad  blow  fell  on  the  denomination  early  in  1893,  when 
one  of  its  quietest,  but  sanest  and  safest  leaders  fell.  For 
many  years  Rev.  M.  \'.  Smith,  now  of  Belton,  had  been  of 
incalculable  advantage  to  the  promotion  of  the  weal  of  the 
denomination.  Constitutionally  weak,  he  had  been  forced  to 
husband  his  physical  strength  throughout  life,  and  by  this 
means  rendered  a  service  for  which  his  amiable  and  gentle 
nature  fitted  him  in  the  stormy  periods  through  which  he 
passed.  Happily  and  wisely  married,  his  efforts  received  a 
sanction  and  encouragement  from  the  silent  influence  of  his 
home,  which  gave  immense  momentum  to  his  life-work. 
His  gentleness  was  not  of  that  character  that  softened  into 
flabbiness  the  sterner  elements  of  his  manliness ;  for,  while 
always  modest,  even  to  timidity  oftentimes,  the  hardier  ele- 
ments of  his  character  would  assert  themselves  when  neces- 
sary, and  none  was  more  heroic  in  the  contention  for  prin- 
ciple in  the  sternest  way,  if  such  exercise  were  called  for  b\' 
the  supreme  hour.  He  fell  in  the  maturity  and  ripeness  of 
useful  manhood,  being  just  fifty-six  when  he  died.  He  was 
an  unique  counselor  and  seemed  ill-spared  at  this  particular 
juncture  of  denominational  history.  Lovable  in  spirit,  yet 
bold  and  firm ;  quiet  and  unobtrusive  till  occasion  demanded, 
and  then  wisely  pronounced  and  emphatic ;  scholarly  and  de- 
vout, he  combined  the  qualities  which  made  him  a  general 
favorite  among  men,  and  a  special  leader  in  seasons  of  turbu- 
lence. His  piety  mellowed  under  conditions  which  would 
have  soured  and  embittered  others.  At  the  time  of  his  death 
Mr.  Smith  was  associated  with  J.  B.  CranfiU  in  the  proprie- 
torship of  the  Texas  Baptist  Standard,  a  position  for  which 
he  was  singularly  fitted  at  this  particular  juncture,  which 


358  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

called  for  just  such  wisdom  as  he  brought  to  the  editorial 
chair. 

The  occasion  of  the  death  of  M.  V.  Smith  resulted  in 
placing  the  entire  proprietorship  of  the  paper  in  the  hands 
of  J.  B.  Cranfill.    The  paper  was  continued  at  Waco,  where 


ItEV.    M.    F.    WHEELER,    McKINNEY,    TEXAS. 

(Rorn  Apr.  11.  1867,  near  Canton,  Cherokee  Co.,  Ga.  ;  received  liis 
early  education  in  Canton,  Ga.,  later  spent  tliree  years  in  Decatur  Bap- 
tist College,  Decatur,  Texas,  and  several  terms  in  Baylor  Bible  School ; 
was  converted  at  the  age  of  l.j  and  joined  Baptist  Church  at  Canton, 
(Ja. ;  went  to  preaching  when  20 ;  was  ordained  at  24 ;  married 
at  21  to  Miss  Nannie  Putnam,  of  Cherokee  Mills,  Ga.  ;  has  six  children  ; 
served  churches  as  pastor  successfully  in  Wise  and  Denton  counties  for 
10  years,  when  the  Collin  County  Executive  Board  asked  him  to  take 
the  evangelistic  work  of  their  county  ;  he  is  now  serving  his  sixth  year 
in  that  position  ;  during  his  ministry  thousands  have  been  converted,  hun- 
dreds added  to  churches  and  many  churches  organized,  and  new  houses 
of  worship  buUt.) 

it  was  fast  becoming  the  chief  factor  of  denominational 
progress.  In  the  years  which  followed  it  became  indispens- 
able to  the  guidance  and  stimulance  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas, 
and  without  wdiich  they  could  never  have  become  disen- 
tangled from  the  meshes  into  which  they  had  become  en- 


MINGLED    DAEKNESS    AND    LIGHT  359 

thralled.  In  the  passage  of  the  denomination  through  the 
wilderness  wanderings  of  the  period,  The  Standard  was  the 
cloudy  pillar  by  day,  and  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night.  If  the 
principle  of  according  honor  to  whom  honor  is  due  ever 
admits  of  application,  it  does  in  the  particular  instance  of 
the  Texas  Baptist  Standard  under  the  proprietorship  of  J.  B. 
Cranfill  during  a  time  when  heroism  was  needed  to  be  cool, 
and  when  endurance,  in  the  extremity  of  that  virtue,  was 
unquailing.  For  more  than  a  decade,  no  one  underwent 
more,  no  one  did  more  for  the  promotion  of  the  denomina- 
tional interests  of  Texas,  and  it  cost  no  one  more  than  it  did 
J.  B.  Cranfill.  The  brightness  of  historic  fact  can  never  be 
dimmed  by  the  mutations  of  time  nor  displaced  by  the  outcry 
of  disparagement.  Facts  may  be  obscured,  as  gold  may  be 
tarnished,  but  beneath  all,  the  fact  remains  for  all  eternity, 
as  fixed  as  the  supernal  throne.  It  was  a  juncture  which 
called  for  pluck  of  a  peculiar  mold,  not  of  the  frothy  sort, 
but  stable  and  substantial  in  its  practical  embodiment,  and 
when  the  call  came  to  J.  B.  Cranfill  to  stand  in  the  van  in 
vindication  of  the  progressive  principles  of  a  people  who  had 
made  their  way  over  dire  difficulties  and  obstructions  the 
roughest,  and  the  progress  of  whom  was  now  threatened  by 
a  daring  barrier,  that  call  was  not  merely  in  the  vocative. 
In  a  juncture  like  this  Cranfill  was  the  man  of  the  hour. 

In  1893  came  a  periodical  return  to  the  country  of  a 
financial  crash,  during  which  period,  money  could  scarcely  be 
had.  A  general  panic  had  seized  the  entire  country,  and 
business  lay  prostrated  like  vegetation  before  the  untimely 
frost.  It  was  a  time  alike  of  gloom  and  of  alarm.  The  con- 
dition fell  like  a  paralytic  stroke  on  religious  work  every- 
where. With  brave  heart  and  unimpaired  zeal,  Secretary 
Carroll  breasted  the  storm.  By  timely  encouragement  he 
held  the  forces  well  in  hand,  and  right  nobly  did  they  re- 
spond.   It  was  a  time  that  emphatically  tried  men's  souls. 

There  was  a  combination  of  serious  difficulties  which,  at 
this  time,  stood  in  the  way  of  the  progress  of  the  work.  One 
of  these  is  that  already  named,  when  commercial  energy 
was  palsied  by  the  financial  condition  of  the  country ;  an- 
other was  the  period  of  transition  of  the  work  of  the  Board 
from  one  plane  of  operation  to  that  of  another,  and  the 


360  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

last  was  that  of  the  harriers  thrown  in  tiic  way  hy  one  of 
the  journals  of  the  denomination.  Even  under  more  trantjuil 
conditions,  the  situation  would  have  hcen  difficult  enougii  to 
mani[)ulate  the  affairs  of  the  State  Board ;  but  when  it  was 
menaced  by  the  union  of  so  many  adverse  forces  the  situa- 
tion was  one  of  extreme  embarrassment.  A  spirit  less  brave 
than  that  of  J.  M.  Carroll  would  have  succumbed.  To  lift  a 
great  system  of  denominational  machinery  from  grooves  in 
which  it  had  moved  w'ith  comparative  ease  and  success  to 
other  and  newer  ones,  where  the  friction  of  newness  and 
the  jostle  of  adjustment  had  to  be  overcome,  was  a  peril,  the 
threat  of  which  was  frowning  from  every .  quarter.  There 
often  comes  a  time  in  the  history  of  a  battle  when  fortune 
hangs  in  the  balance,  and  when  a  single  adverse  stroke  would 
turn  the  tide  either  way.  That  crisis  had  been  reached  by 
the  State  Board  of  Texas.  Everything,  humanly  speaking, 
was  now  dependent  on  J.  Al.  Carroll.  How  to  engineer  his 
bark  among  the  rocks  which  studded  the  stream  required  the 
skill  of  statesmanship.  As  time  went  on,  the  difficulties, 
instead  of  decreasing,  really  thickened.  Baylor  University 
was  in  the  field  fighting  for  continued  existence  against  an 
inexorable  debt.  How  to  respect  this  most  deserving  inter- 
est, and  at  the  same  time  maintain  the  State  Board,  on 
which  all  else  in  the  state  was  suspended,  was  thai  which 
taxed  mightily  the  ingenuity  of  the  state  secretary.  Hut,  in 
addition  to  all  these  things,  new  difficulties  arose  by  the 
resignation  of  Rev.  W.  C.  Lattimore  as  the  general  mis- 
sionary of  the  Board,  and  the  removal  from  the  state  of  the 
jiresident  of  the  Board,  Rev.  A.  M.  Simms.  lUit,  there  was 
no  falter  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work.  In  the  breach 
stood  Secretary  Carroll,  and  he  saved  the  situation. 

In  the  annual  convention  which  met  at  Gainesville  on 
October  6.  1893,  J.  M.  Carroll  appeared  before  the  body 
with  buoyant  spirit  to  give  an  account  in  his  official  report 
of  the  struggles  of  the  year,  but  sounding  at  the  same  time 
a  note  of  encouragement.  He  reviewed  the  difficulties  al- 
read}-  detailed,  concluding  with  the  triumpliant  note;  "Hut 
with  all  these  things  against  us,  our  work  this  year  has  not 
been  a  failure."  In  the  convention  there  was  more  of  deter- 
mination buttressed  on    faith   than  there  was   enthusiasm. 


MINGLED    DARKNESS    AND    LIGHT  361 

The  condition  was  too  serious  a  one  for  jubilation,  and  men 
were  profoundly  determined  and  resolute.  Rufus  C.  Burle- 
son was  again  chosen  president.  A.  B.  Miller,  G.  B.  Rogers 
and  J.  B.  Riddle,  vice  presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and 
J.  H.  Truett,  recording  secretaries.  J.  M.  Carroll  was  re- 
tained as  corresponding  secretary,  a  portion  of  whose  report 
has  already  been  presented.  Notwithstanding  the  terrible 
odds,  the  work  on  the  field  was  remarkably  successful.  By 
wise  management  the  new  policy  of  the  State  Board  was 
working  with  harmony.  During  the  past  year  one  hundred 
and  five  missionaries  had  been  at  work,  mostly  in  the  west- 
ern and  northwestern  quarters  of  the  state,  into  which  the 
population  was  steadily  flowing,  and  where  there  was  a  vast 
realm  for  evangelistic  work.  The  results  were  amazingly 
large,  as  sixty-two  churches  and  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine  Sunday-schools  had  been  organized,  while  thirty-three, 
new  meeting  houses  had  been  built  at  a  cost  of  $19,539.90. 
There  had  been  brought  into  the  churches  by  the  mission- 
aries more  than  three  thousand  new  members.  It  was  a 
year  of  vigorous  campaigning  for  missions,  and  for  all  the 
mission  interests  there  had  been  .collected  on  the  field  $42,- 
653.42.  It  was  the  initial  year  in  Texas  for  large  individual 
gifts  to  missions,  due  to  the  special  desire  of  the  secretar}- 
to  cultivate  this  spirit.  During  the  year  A.  F.  Sellers,  of 
Hico,  gave  $5,000  to  the  cause  of  missions.  More  churches 
than  ever  before  were  contributing  to  the  cause,  and  yet  the 
fact  was  announced  by  the  secretary  that  fully  three-fourths 
of  the  Baptist  churches  of  the  state  were  making  no  contri- 
butions to  the  cause  of  missions.  This  was  supplemented 
by  the  assuring  fact  that  many  of  the  churches  which  had 
been  aided  by  the  Board  were  now  self-sustaining.  For 
all  the  growth  that  had  been  attained  by  the  denomination 
there  was  still  much  alarming  destitution.  There  were  at 
this  time  in  the  state  92  district  associations,  2,400 
churches  and  2,300  preachers,  with  a  total  white  mem- 
bership, so  far  as  it  could  be  ascertained,  of  140,000, 
while  there  were  90,000  colored  E'aptists  with  },2  as- 
sociations, 900  preachers  and  1.343  churches,  and  }et 
the  fact  remained  that  fully  one-third  of  the  state 
was    devoid    of    preaching.      Of    the    246    counties    in    the 


362  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

State,  72  of  them  were  without  a  Baptist  preacher,  and 
yet  some  of  them  were  populous.  Of  the  remaining  174 
counties  not  more  than  one-third  could  meet  the  demand  for 
gospel  work.  The  population  was  so  rapid  and  fields  were 
opening  so  fast  that  it  seemed  impossible  to  meet  the  de- 
mand. This  lent  an  intensely  interesting  light  to  the  situa- 
tion in  Texas  for  the  closing  months  of  1893. 

To  the  other  encumbrances  already  named,  which  had 
hampered  the  State  Board,  was  that  of  a  debt  inherited  from 
the  preceding  year.  This  resulted  in  the  year  closing  with  a 
debt  of  about  $6,000  again. 

More  or  less  difficulty  having  arisen  in  connection  with 
the  Old  Ministers'  Relief  Board,  which  difficulty  arose,  it 
would  seem,  not  on  account  of  a  flagging  of  zeal  on  the  part 
of  the  secretary,  but  from  the  inadequacy  of  means  to  meet 
the  demand,  action  was  taken  at  this  session  of  the  Con- 
vention to  bring  the  interest  under  the  care  of  the  State 
Board.  This  was  done  after  full  consultation  with  Rev. 
H.  M.  Burroughs,  who  was  to  co-operate  in  effecting  the 
necessary  change.  All  recognized  that  Mr.  Burroughs  had 
accomplished  a  noble  work. 

Both  schools  were  in  excellent  condition,  so  far  as  re- 
lated to  the  government  and  patronage.  To  Baylor  Univer- 
sity there  had  been  attached  a  Bible  Department,  which  was 
the  germ  of  the  future  Theological  Seminary  at  Baylor. 
By  action  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  this  department  had 
become  an  integral  part  of  the  University,  with  B.  H.  Car- 
roll in  the  chair  of  exegesis  and  systematic  theology ;  J.  H. 
Luther,  instructor  in  homiletics,  while  President  BurlcscjU 
gave  instruction  in  pastoral  duties.  Extensive  and  valuable 
facilities  had  been  added  to  the  school  for  girls  at  Belton.  to 
relieve  the  debt  of  which  the  Convention  gave  in  pledges  at 
this  session  $12,672.05. 

It  having  been  reported  that  the  buildings  originally  oc- 
cupied by  Baylor  University  at  Independence  had  been  taken 
possession  of  by  a  Catholic  priest  named  F.  M.  Ilugn  and 
were  being  used  without  authority  as  an  orphanage  for 
negroes,  condemnatory  resolutions  were  offered  bv  Rev.  J. 
F.  Duncan,  in  which  resolutions  was  expressed  concurrence 
in  the  action  of  the  Union  Association  in  bringing  suit  for 


MINGLED    DARKNESS    AND    LIGHT  363 

the  recovery  of  the  property.  This  action  was  endorsed  by 
a  collection  of  $i8  with  which  to  aid  in  the  prosecution. 

With  wider  horizon  and  with  increased  facilities,  the 
Baptists  of  Texas  turned  from  the  Gainesville  convention, 
but  they  were  embarrassed  by  two  facts — the  financial  con- 
dition of  the  country  and  the  unfavorable  attitude  to  the 
interest  of  the  work  by  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald.  The 
position  and  utterances  of  that  paper  continued  to  be  a 
serious  hindrance,  and  kept  the  situation  in  an  unsettled 
condition.  Such  agitation  as  was  continued  by  the  Texas 
Baptist  and  Herald,  that  when  the  cause  was  built  up  in 
one  quarter,  it  would  have  a  tendency  to  go  to  pieces  in 
another. 

In  January,  1894,  the  office  of  the  Texas  Baptist  Stand- 
ard was  destroyed  by  fire  at  Waco,  but  Editor  CranfiU  was 
prompt  in  again  getting  it  afoot.  In  a  time  like  this  it  was 
of  immense  importance  to  the  work,  that  the  paper  con- 
tinue its  weekly  visits  to  the  homes  of  Baptist  people.  The 
new  year  opened  with  a  fresh  outburst  of  agitation,  which 
was  continued  with  severity  throughout  the  year.  On  the 
loth  of  January  of  that  year,  Doctor  J.  B.  Link  died  at 
Austin,  which  was  then  his  home.  Had  he  lived  till  the  7th 
of  the  following  May,  he  would  have  been  seventy  years 
old.  He  was  buried  in  Glenwood  cemetery,  at  Houston. 
His  loss  was  universally  mourned. 

As  has  been  said,  the  year  was  ushered  in  with  a  fresh 
expression  of  trouble.  The  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  con- 
tinued its  criticism  and  complaint  concerning  the  dififerent 
interests  of  the  Convention,  and  especially  of  the  State 
Board.  Doctor  Hayden,  the  editor,  being  a  member  of  the 
State  Board,  made  certain  complaints  against  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Board,  and  sought  a  reduction  of  salaries  of 
those  connected  with  such  management.  The  Board  de- 
clined to  take  such  action  as  was  insisted  on,  for  reasons 
which  will  hereafter  appear.  The  occasion  became  one  of 
serious  and  heated  agitation,  and  the  denomination  was 
again  in  a  ferment  in  consequence.  The  disturbance  as- 
sumed such  proportions  of  seriousness  that  it  found  its 
way  into  the  State  Convention  in  the  autumn  of  1894,  when 
that  body  assembled  at  Marshall.     The  portent  of  the  ap- 


364  mSTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

proaching  trouble  became  a  matter  of  grave  concern 
throughout  the  state,  and  no  one  could  predict  the  result. 
The  general  management  and  direction  of  affairs  was  a 
subject  of  weekly  attack  and  criticism  in  the  columns  of 
the  rf.ra.s-  Baptist  and  Herald,  and  the  denomination  was 
kept  continually  on  the  defensive  in  the  prosecution  of  its 
work. 

During  the  year,  J.  M.  Carroll  retired  from  the  work  of 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  Board,  and  Rev.  M.  D. 
Early  was  selected  to  succeed  him.  Mr.  Carroll  became 
the  financial  agent-  of  Baylor  Female  College,  the  interests 
of  which  had  been  held  in  abeyance  till  Baylor  University 
should  be  relieved  of  its  debt.  This  having  been  done,  the 
energies  of  the  denomination  were  turned  toward  the  col- 
lege at  Belton. 

Meanwhile  the  discussion  in  the  denominational  papers 
continued  with  intensity,  and  words  of  fire  flew  like  bullets 
in  battle.  Demoralization  was  the  inevitable  result  through- 
out the  state.  The  most  serious  charges  and  insinuations 
were  made  against  Doctor  J.  B.  Cranfill  in  the  columns  of  the 
Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  concerning  the  inaccuracy  of  his 
accounts  with  the  State  Convention,  during  his  incumbency 
of  the  office  of  corresponding  secretary,  to  which  was  added 
the  intimation  that  Cranfill  had  been  instrumental  in  the  de- 
struction of  the  office  and  fixtures  of  The  Staiidard  office, 
early  in  the  year,  from  sinister  motives.  Assuming  to  pro- 
tect the  denomination  against  the  wrongs  which  were  al- 
leged by  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,  its  columns  con- 
tained charges  of  divers  sorts  against  several  of  the  leading 
men  in  the  state.  These  disturbances  deeply  affected  the 
religious  sentiment  of  the  state,  not  only  in  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination, but  in  others  as  well.  \\'hile  the  work  w^as 
seriously  crippled  by  this  journalistic  turbulence,  it  moved 
on.  Only  as  it  became  necessary  to  repel  attacks  in  pro- 
tection of  denominational  integrity,  was  any  attention  given 
the  assaults.  Matters  were  drifting  toward  a  crisis  which 
must  result  either  in  wreckage  or  in  the  eliminaliou  of  the 
source  of  the  disturbance.  The  agitation  which  had  its 
germ  in  the  effort  made  by  one  newspaper  to  destroy  an- 
other, sucked  within  its  whirling  waters  the  entire  denomi- 


MTNfiT.ED    DARKNESS    AND    LIGHT  305 

nation,  and  threatened  to  engulf  the  whole  system  of  work- 
in  one  common  maelstrom.  The  mouthpiece  of  the  Conven- 
tion was  the  Texas  Baptist  Standard,  and  it  courageously 
met  the  onslaughts,  lender  such  conditions,  the  denomina- 
tion became  a  seething  caldron,  as  the  attacks  continued  un- 
remittingly  and  bitterly. 

Such  was  the  situation  when  the  Convention  held  its 
session,  at  Marshall,  in  1894.  It  was  organized  by  the  elec- 
tion of  R.  C.  Ikickner  as  president.  Dr.  R.  C.  Burleson  was 
the  opposing  candidate,  but  having  aligned  himself  with  Dr. 
Hayden,  he  was  defeated.  The  session  is  memorable 
in  the  annals  of  the  denomination,  as  one  of  stormy 
agitation.  It  was  the  beginning  of  a  long  and  fearful  con- 
flict. Doctor  S.  A.  Hayden  pressed  on  the  body  the  views 
which  he  had  so  industriously  and  vehemently  voiced 
through  the  columns  of  his  paper,  but  the  Convention  de- 
clined to  adopt  them.  The  echoes  of  this  Convention  con- 
tinued to  be  heard  through  years. 

During  the  session  of  this  Convention,  Doctor  Hayden 
at  one  time  spoke  for  six  hours.  Despite  the  agitation  of 
the  year,  it  had  been  one  of  signal  success.  The  debt  of 
the  preceding  year  was  canceled,  and  the  Board  came  to 
the  Convention  free  of  encumbrance  and  the  sum  of  almost 
$42,000  had  been  raised  on  the  field  for  missions.  One  hun- 
dred and  fifteen  missionaries  and  workers  had  been  in  the 
employment  of  the  Board,  and  among  other  results  was  that 
of  the  baptism  of  1,554  persons.  During  the  year  there 
had  been  a  net  gain  to  the  denomination  of  12,260  mem- 
bers. Including  all  races  and  colors,  the  denomination 
was  now  estimated  to  number,  in  Texas,  300,000  members. 

It  was  most  unfortunate  that  so  serious  a  barrier  lay  in 
the  way  of  the  Baptists  at  this  time.  The  time  was  most 
propitious  for  an  advancement,  such  as  the  denomination 
had  never  before  known.  Confidence  in  the  markets  was 
steadily  returning,  the  outlook  was  brighter  than  it  had  been 
for  years,  the  schools  were  flourishing,  the  limits  of  the 
denomination  were  widening,  and  its  churches  were  grow- 
ing stronger.  Possibilities  were  vast,  and  never  had  a  peo- 
ple greater  occasion  to  thank  God  and  take  courage.  But 
the  bane  of  distraction  was  continued  without  cessation,  the 


ncC) 


HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


effect  of  which  was  of  the  widest  possible  reach.  Beyond 
the  limits  of  the  state  went  its  effects,  and  so  serious  did  the 
disturbance  become  that  denominational  papers,  in  other 
parts  of  the  country,  seemed  to  regard  Texas  as  a  scene  of 
battle. 

It  was  with  much  sadness  that  the  hundreds  left  Mar- 


REV.    S.    II.    BLAIR,   HOUSTON,   TEXAS. 

(Was  reared  in  Ala.  ;  went  to  Ark.  ;  was  ordained  to  gospel  ministry 
in  1875  ;  served  as  pastor  of  tlie  ctiurcli  at  Paris,  Arlj.,  until  1883,  when 
he  came  to  Texas  and  became  pastor  at  Alartindale  ;  has  also  been  pastor 
at  Holland,  Mt.  Vernon  and  Heidenheimer  ;  went  to  West  Texas  in  18S*'> 
and  was  pastor  at  Merkel :  was  missionary  of  Sweetwater  Assn.  and 
State  Board  during  administration  of  Drs.  A.  J.  Holt,  J.  B.  Cranflll  and 
J.  M.  Carroll  ;  went  to  South  Texas  in  1897,  where  he  has  served  as 
missionary  pastor  at  Rosenberg,  Guy,  Areola  and  Missouri  City  ;  he  is  in 
sympathy  with  all  the  good  work  of  the  State  Board ;  is  moderator  of 
the  Workers'  Institute,  to  which  position  he  was  recently  elected  for 
life.) 


shall.  The  dignity  of  a  great  denomination  w'as  wounded 
by  the  scenes  enacted  on  the  floor  of  the  convention  which 
had  just  met  there.  Men  were  humiliated  and  distressed, 
and  the  indications  of  an  unlimited  struggle  gave  graver 
concern. 

Among  those  who  had  died  during  the  year  was  Sena- 


MINGLED    DAEKNESS    AND    LIGHT  367 

tor  S.  B.  Maxey,  a  United  States  senator  and  an  humble 
Baptist  deacon.  He  had  rendered  signal  service  alike  in 
the  Mexican  War  and  in  the  war  between  the  states.  He 
was  a  general  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  after  the  close 
of  the  war,  became  a  senator  from  Texas.  His  sage  coun- 
sel was  in  frequent  demand  by  the  denomination,  and  his 
service  was  as  signal  in  the  sphere  of  his  denomination  as 
it  had  been  on  the  field  of  battle,  or  in  the  councils  of  the 
nation.  Hon.  Charles  Stewart,  of  Houston,  had  also  died 
during  the  year.  He  was  a  courageous  Confederate  soldier, 
whose  peculiar  boast  was  that  he  was  always  a  private, 
though  in  political  circles  he  was  known  as  "Colonel  Stew- 
art." He  was  for  many  years  the  mainstay  of  the  Baptist 
cause  in  the  city  of  Houston,  in  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  which  he  was,  for  many  years,  an  influential  deacon. 
Rev.  J.  B.  Hardwicke,  D.D.,  whom  we  have  met  several 
times  in  the  current  of  this  narrative,  was  also  among  the 
dead  for  the  year. 

The  year  1895  dawned  as  an  eventful  one  to  the  Bap- 
tists of  Texas.  On  February  ist  was  celebrated  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  Baylor  Female  College.  The  occasion  was 
one  of  unusual  interest,  as  every  effort  had  been  made  to 
make  it  worthy  of  the  school.  Doctor  E.  M.  Wells  had  suc- 
ceeded President  Eager  as  the  head  of  the  institution,  and 
J.  M.  Carroll  had  succeeded  G.  B.  Rogers  as  the  financial 
manager.  The  school  was  burdened  by  the  enormous  debt 
of  $121,251.46.  Of  this  amount  such  provision  had  been 
made  for  the  liquidation  of  the  debt  as  that  the  denomina- 
tion was  asked  to  contribute  $41,594.86.  The  brave  town 
of  Belton  had  assumed  to  raise,  with  the  aid  of  the  trustees, 
$25,000  of  the  amount,  and  the  denomination  was  inspired 
to  the  effort  of  raising  the  sum  needed  to  cancel  the  burden 
of  debt.  The  necessity  for  the  maintenance  of  the  State 
work  on  the  field  was  imperative,  as  that  was  fundamental 
to  all  else.  In  view  of  these  things,  there  never  was  a 
more  unfortunate  time  for  division  and  distraction,  but  they 
came  nevertheless. 

Rev.  M.  D.  Early  brought  to  the  work  of  secretary  of 
the  Board  an  acquaintanceship  with  its  management,  as  he 
had  served  as  general  missionary  of  the  Board  under  Rev. 


nns  nrsTORv  of  texar  baptists 

J.  M.  Carroll.  The  pressure  of  sentiment  brought  against 
the  J)oar(l  at  this  time  was  materially  relieved  by  the  issue 
of  a  little  journal  by  the  lioard,  known  as  the  Missionary 
Mcssciii;;cr.  The  conditions  of  the  assumption  of  the  work  of 
corres])onding  secretary  at  this  time  were  peculiarly  embar- 
rassing. A  new  featin"e  was  added  to  the  work  at  this  time, 
and  one  which  had  been  (|uite  effective.  es])ecially  in  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  liiited  States.  'Iliat  was  the  in- 
troduction of  an  evangelistic  car,  by  the  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society.  This  car,  "Good  Will."  was  assigned 
to  the  charge  of  Rev.  E.  S.  Stucker,  and  the  railroads  of 
the  State,  with  characteristic  liberality,  transported  it  from 
point  to  point  over  the  State. 

The  year  was  one  of  immense  activity.  L'nder  the  State 
Board  ninety-three  missionaries  were  laboring,  alike  among 
the  native  and  foreign  populations.  Never  was  a  body  of 
men  more  active  in  preaching,  in  the  organization  of  new 
churches  and  Sunday  schools,  in  visiting  from  house  to 
house,  in  the  promotion  of  means  for  the  general  good,  in 
collecting  funds,  and  in  the  distribution  of  P)il)les  and  other 
literature. 

In  a  previous  chapter  allusion  was  made  t(~)  a  heresy 
known  as  "Martinism,"  which  had  been  the  occasion  of 
some  damage  in  certain  parts  of  the  State.  This  year  that 
freakish  diversion  from  scriptural  principles  was  revived  at 
Gonzales,  by  an  errant  pastor,  E.  R.  Carswell.  who  had  re- 
moved from  Georgia  to  Texas.  Carswell  was  made  of  the 
stuff  that  would  lead  him  to  .seek  the  position  of  imaginary 
martyrdom  for  the  sake  of  a  scriptural  diversion  on  which 
he  laid  ready  hand.  Bold,  wordy,  peculiarly  assertive,  with 
the  air  of  a  polemic,  and  yet  destitute  of  ability  to  maintain 
a  cause,  Carswell,  evidently  coveting  the  crown  of  martyr- 
dom, entered  the  arena  afresh  in  advocacy  of  a  silly  ism 
which  had  already-  died  in  childbirth.  The  flurry  of  the 
times  wa.s  a  c|uickening  incentive  to  this  heretical  knight, 
and  he  entered  the  lists  with  a  vociferation  worthv  of  a 
better  cause  and  of  an  abler  advocate.  The  erratic  ten- 
dencies of  Mr.  Carswell,  and  his  well-known  lack  of  poise 
of  character,  made  the  temjxirary  infliction  one  easy  of  eradi- 
cation.     Xothing  more   accorded    with   his   ]KCuliar  choice 


MINGLED    DARKNESS    AND    LIGHT  369 

than  to  be  able  to  appear  as  a  disputant  on  the  floor  of  the 
Convention.  He  courted  the  verbal  fray,  and  chafed  for 
the  clash  of  cheap  verbosity,  like  Job's  pawing  war-horse 
in  the  valley.  It  was  feared  by  some  of  the  more  un- 
thoughtful  that  the  introduction  of  this  issue  in  the  Con- 
vention would  breed  fresh  trouble,  but  by  others  who  knew 
the  cause  and  the  advocate,  it  was  considered  with  a  degree 
of  pity. 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Convention  at  Belton  in  Oc- 
tober, 1895,  was  looked  forward  to  with  some  degree  of 
apprehension.  It  was  known  that  the  efforts  made  at  Mar- 
shall during  the  preceding  year  would  be  undertaken  again 
at  Belton.  And  while  there  was  no  apprehension  as  to  the 
finality  of  the  result,  the  reintroduction  of  the  trouble  would 
mar  the  session,  and  complicate  the  otherwise  calm  situa- 
tion. Precautions  were  taken  in  advance  of  the  organiza- 
tion, and  even  in  advance  of  any.  action  on  the  part  of  the 
committee  on  enrollment,  to  adopt  resolutions  to  recognize, 
as  messengers  or  delegates,  only  those  whose  belief  was  in 
practical  conformit}^  with  Baptist  standards.  It  was  not  till 
after  the  Convention  sermon  had  been  preached  by  T.  B. 
Pittman  that  an  organization  was  had.  R.  C.  Buckner  be- 
came president ;  L.  D.  Lamkin,  J.  M.  Robertson,  and  A.  B. 
Miller,  vice-presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and  J.  H.  Truett 
secretaries.  Among  the  visitors  were  R.  J.  Willingham,  I. 
T.  Tichenor,  T.  P.  Bell,  C.  C.  Bitting,  F.  H.  Kerfoot,  S. 
H.  Ford,  and  W.  P.  Harvey. 

The  result  of  the  year's  work  aggregated  for  the  ninety- 
three  missionaries  the  following :  Seventy-seven  new 
churches  and  seventy-one  Sunday  schools  organized,  and 
$32,795.71  collected.  The  report  of  a  committee  relative  to 
the  eligibility  of  members  was  so  direct  that  Carswell  and 
the  messengers  from  the  Gonzales  church  promptly  with- 
drew, and  nothing  more  was  heard  of  him  in  the  Conven- 
tion. 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  of  the  Convention,  the 
proceedings  were  interrupted  by  the  pleasant  incident  of 
the  marriage  of  Rev.  Z.  C.  Taylor,  missionary  to  Brazil,  and 
Miss  Laura  G.  Barton,  recently  returned  missionary  from 
China.    The  ceremony  was  jointh  performed  by  Doctor  R. 


370  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

J.  Willinghani,  secretary  of  the  Foreign  Board,  and  Doctor 
R.  C.  Burleson. 

In  the  Hght  of  subsequent  events  it  is  pecuhar  that, 
though  the  report  on  the  ehgibihty  of  membership  in  the 
l)ody  was  adopted  by  a  rising  vote,  in  which  Doctor  Hay- 
den  and  his  friends  earnestly  joined,  they  afterward  utterly 
repudiated  the  principle  which  it  embodied,  and  adopted 
and  advocated  one  at  total  variance  thereto. 

An  extract  from  that  report  reads  as  follows :  "The 
Convention  is  composed  of  persons  chosen  by  churches, 
associations  and  missionary  societies  as  their  messengers, 
and  that  when  said  persons  are  convened  they,  and  not  the 
churches,  are  the  Convention." 

Yet,  in  the  years  of  the  future  we  find  the  same  men 
who  joined  in  the  rising  vote  in  the  adoption  of  such  pv'\u- 
ciples  rejecting  this  sentiment  and  adopting  an  entirely 
different  policy.  Attention  will  be  called  to  this  fact  as  we 
proceed. 

It  had  been  shown  to  the  denomination  that  closer  com- 
bination of  all  its  interests  was  working  well,  which  com- 
bination afforded  an  opportunity  to  secure  two  ends — ef- 
fectiveness in  the  direction  of  the  work,  and  a  growth  of 
harmony.  If  the  step  to  cohere  the  divers  interests  had  not 
been  effected  prior  to  the  injection  of  the  elements  which 
were  now  a  source  of  irritation  and  embarrassment,  it  is 
impossible  to  say  what  might  have  been  the  result.  Every 
possible  point  that  could  be  assailed  in  denominational  or- 
ganization was  subjected  to  attack,  and  every  means  for 
weakening  its  efficiency  was  used.  ]\Ien  stood  appalled  at 
the  attempts  made  to  check  the  progress  of  the  work  of  a 
great  denomination.  But  the  work,  while  stunned,  made  its 
way  successfully  on. 

Among  other  changes  made  at  this  session  was  that  of 
the  abolishment  of  the  Home  for  aged  and  infirm  ministers 
at  Lampasas.  This  had  proved  in  the  minds  of  the  brethren 
not  to  be  the  wisest  and  best  means  of  caring  for  these 
aged  servants. 

A  change  in  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Church  of  Austin 
had  resulted  in  the  removal  of  Doctor  J.  A.  French  from 
Alabama,    to   assume   the   pastorate   of   that   church.      He 


MINGLED   DAEKNESS    AND    LIGHT  371 

found  an  ample  field  for  the  exercise  of  his  conciliatory 
gifts,  as  well  as  for  those  of  the  sterner  type,  and  the  church 
began  a  new  career  under  his  wise  administration. 

Among  the  losses  sustained  by  the  denomination  during 
the  year  was  that  of  the  Rev.  George  Webb  Slaughter,  an 
active  pioneer  missionary  in  the  western  part,  of  the  State. 
He  had  accumulated  a  fortune  in  stock-raising  on  the  west- 
ern plains,  and  meanwhile  had  preached  the  gospel  without 
compensation.  Together  with  his  son,  C.  C.  Slaughter,  he 
had  made  the  cattle  business  exceedingly  profitable,  and  yet 
had  done  immense  missionary  work.  His  record  showed 
that  he  had  baptized  2,509  persons.  He  died  in  the  triumph 
of  faith. 

The  progress  of  education  was  promoted  during  this 
year  by  the  establishment  of  two  other  Baptist  schools. 
These  were  the  East  Texas  Baptist  Institute,  at  Rusk,  and 
Burleson  College,  at  Greenville.  Steps  had  been  taken  dur- 
ing the  preceding  year  toward  the  establishment  of  these 
schools,  but  charters  for  them  could  not  be  had  till  1895. 
The  future  development  of  the  educational  system  of  the 
Baptists  of  the  State  showed  the  wisdom  of  establishing 
these  schools,  as  they  afterward  became  auxiliaries  of  the 
leading  Baptist  institutions  of  the  State.  Of  the  Institute 
at  Rusk  Rev.  C.  F.  Maxwell  became  the  first  president,  and 
Rev.  S.  J.  Anderson  that  of  Burleson  College. 

Could  the  forces  have  been  held  intact  by  staving  off  the 
dissensions  which  were  growing  because  of  the  course  of 
the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,  the  denomination  could  now 
have  bounded  forward  on  a  new  and  enthusiastic  career. 
Conditions  were  riper  for  fresh  conquests  and  the  accom- 
I)lishment  of  greater  results. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  COMBAT  DEEPENS. 

A  Stormy  period  had  now  been  reached.  So  far  from 
growing  better,  the  situation  was  growing  worse.  The  Bap- 
tists of  Texas  were  not  unused  to  upheavals  and  stormy  dis- 
tractions, but  nothing  ever  approximated  the  turbulence  of 
the  present.  The  situation  was  so  thoroughly  at  variance 
with  the  general  conception  of  Christianity  that  onlookers 
from  without  the  denomination  were  amazed.  Much  dam- 
age was  being  done,  but  it  was  not  altogether  an  unmixed 
evil.  Forced  to  dire  junctures,  the  denomination  was  in 
position  to  take  its  bearings,  and  to  guard  w'ith  deep  scrupu- 
lousness each  point.  Had  the  crisis  found  the  denomination 
lax  in  method,  and  wanting  in  the  means  of  defense,  which 
means  were  derived  from  a  close  adherence  to  biblical  prin- 
ciples, ruin  would  have  been  inevitable.  The  present  crisis 
served  to  knit  the  loyal  forces  together,  and  to  put  them 
on  their  guard  against  any  possible  invasion  of  their  strong- 
holds. The  session  of  the  Convention  held  at  Belton  marks 
an  epoch  in  the  history  of  that  body.  It  was  then  that  the 
Baptist  General  Convention  of  Texas  formally  and  forever 
interpreted  its  constitution.  A  foundation  principle  was 
there  settled  which  must  abide  with  the  future  existence  of 
the  body  for  all  time.  The  occasion  was  a  memorial  stone, 
set  up  on  the  highway  of  denominational  progress,  on  which 
was  inscribed:  ''The  Convention  is  composed  of  persons 
chosen  by  churches,  associations,  and  missionary  societies, 
as  their  messengers,  and  zvhen  such  persons  are  convened, 
they,  and  not  the  churches,  are  the  Convention."  This 
declaration  forever  sealed  all  lips  against  the  possibility  of 
supplanting  that  organization.  The  Convention  was  as 
deeply  rooted  into  that  principle  as  the  hills  into  the  globe. 

In  the  light  of  the  future  it  seems  strangely  enough  that 

372 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  373 

Doctor  S.  A.  Hayden  and  his  followers  should  have  so 
stoutly  defended  this  principle  at  Belton,  and  stood  in  voting 
for  the  principle  as  an  indication  of  emphasis,  and  then,  in 
after  years,  assaulted  it  without  limit,  and  sought  to  estab- 
lish a  rival  body  on  a  basis  diametrically  opposed  thereto. 
This  is  the  basis  of  the  history  of  this  period  with  its  un- 
equalled disturbance  in  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Texas. 
If  that  principle  of  membership  was  true  then,  it  is  true 
now,  and  will  be  forever  true.  If  untrue,  then  was  the 
time  to  resist  the  principle,  and  not  support  it.  That  stand- 
ing vote,  following  a  vigorous  defense  of  the  principle  by 
those  who  afterward  resisted  its  validity,  and  went  further 
and  sought  to  build  a  rival  organization  on  declarations  pre- 
cisely the  opposite,  would  seem  to  raise  a  barrier  which  the 
bombardment  of  centuries  could  not  affect. 

But  Doctor  Hayden  could  not  brook  journalistic  opposi- 
tion. According  to  Doctor  J.  B.  Gambrell,  the  language  of 
Doctor  Hayden  was :  "The  cause  of  our  troubles  is  news- 
paper competition."  Doctor  Gambrell  goes  further  and 
says :  "This  is  his  own  declaration,  and  upon  that  declara- 
tion there  is  on  all  sides  and  everywhere  agreement."  ("The 
Evolution  of  the  Texas  Situation,"  page  5.)  It  would  seem 
that  Doctor  Hayden  was  desirous  of  making  his  paper  the 
exponent  of  the  denomination.  The  possibility  of  such  an 
event  had  passed,  when  he  hit  on  the  policy  of  vehemence 
to  compel  such  a  termination.  More  than  any  other.  Doc- 
tor Hayden  is  himself  responsible  for  the  existence  of  The 
Baptist  Standard.  It  was  born  of  a  necessitous  condition, 
recognized  by  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  that  they  must  have 
a  medium  of  expression  congenial  to  their  sentiments  and 
principles. 

Whatever  the  policy  needed  to  effect  the  end  de- 
sired by  Doctor  Hayden,  certain  it  was  that  the  one 
adopted  was  that  which  was  most  destructive  of  that 
end.  The  boundary  of  human  reason  is  so  limited, 
and  so  liable  to  admixture  with  much  else  that  may 
relate  to  self,  though  it  may  be  with  the  utmost  un- 
consciousness that  in  the  settlement  of  all  great  and 
momentous  questions  mutual  concession  of  expediency  has 
always  been  found  necessary.    There  is  no  apology  for  com- 


374 


IITSTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


promise  of  principle,  but  compromise  of  policy  between  con- 
testants is  universally  recognized  as  a  nearer  approach  to 
the  settlement  of  debatable  questions  than  any  other  course. 
If  the  purpose  of  Doctor  Ilayden  was  to  reverse  the  exist- 
ing order  of  things  by  the  policy  adopted  in  his  paper,  then 
his  judgment  was  sadly  at   fault ;   for  while  others  might 


KEV.  G.  J.  CHRISTIAN,  LINDALE,  TEXAS. 

(lioru  ill  Elbert  Co.,  Ga.,  where  he  sjjent  the  greater  part  of  his  life; 
.joined  the  Baptist  church  in  his  fourteenth  year,  and  was  ordained  to 
the  ministry  on  May  9,  188G  ;  received  his  education  at  the  high  schools 
and  Mercer  Univ. ;  his  work  as  pastor  in  his  native  state  will  long 
remain  as  monuments  to  his  labors  ;  came  to  Texas  and  took  charge  of 
the  Central  Baptist  Church  of  Lindale,  .Jan.,  1903  ;  it  was  his  pleasure 
to  see  a  splendid  church  building  erected  there;  is  in  sympathy  with 
all   the  good  work  of  the  State.) 


have  conferred  wath  him,  or  with  any  other,  on  a  question 
of  expediency,  it  was  at  variance  with  all  reason  and  ex- 
])erience  for  a  course,  such  as  he  was  pursuing,  to  turn  the 
current  up  stream. 

Leaving  out  of  view  all  possible  motive,  which  is  not  here 
challenged,  the  dictum  of  no  man  in  his  position,  and  with 
methods  like  his,  could  sway  a  great  people.     There    were 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  375 

Other  opinions  to  be  considered,  other  and  many  interests 
to  be  consulted;  and  men  were  not  to  be  convinced  by 
harshness  and  ridicule.  Then,  too,  it  is  a  fact,  and  one 
forever  of  record,  that  Doctor  Hayden  did  completely  re- 
verse his  original  position  when  he  voluntarily  voted  one 
way  at  Belton,  after  advocating  the  measure  which  he  then 
supported,  and  afterward  advocated  a  diametrically  opposite 
course. 

Looked  at  through  eyes  totally  unprejudiced  and  alto- 
gether without  reason  of  partisanship  or  selfishness,  after 
the  the  lapse  of  years,  when  facts  stand  in  absolute  bare- 
ness, one  sees  with  sadness  the  rejected  possibility  which 
came  to  Doctor  Hayden  of  boundless  service  and  perpetual 
good  to  the  denomination,  and  of  his  becoming  second  to 
no  one  in  the  annals  of  Texas  Baptists.  He  was  not  with- 
out ability,  nor  was  the  opportunity  once  wanting.  In- 
deed, it  was  an  opportunity  which  comes  but  rarely  to  a 
man.  There  was  a  time  when,  if  the  strategic  point  of  des- 
tiny could  have  been  seized,  if  the  proper  and  only  rea- 
sonable path  could  have  been  fallen  mto,  no  man  could 
have  surpassed  Doctor  Hayden  in  denominational  influence 
and  leadership — no  one  could  have  excelled  him  in  useful- 
ness. Nothing  is  more  apt,  in  this  sad  contemplation,  than 
the  language  of  the  Quaker  poet : 

"For  of  all  sad  words  of  tongue  or  peti, 

The  saddest  are  these :  Tt  might  have  been.' '' 

In  addition  to  all  else,  the  mistaken  policy  of  Doctor 
Hayden  reversed  the  friendship  of  thousands  of  good  men 
and  women,  whose  judgment  and  esteem,  to  say  the  least, 
was  of  some  worth. 

Under  the  conditions  adopted  by  Doctor  Hayden,  the 
Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  fell  short  of  meeting  the  denomi- 
national demand,  and  another  paper  was  brought  into 
being.  There  was  a  dogged  reluctance  on  the  part  of  the 
denomination  to  be  forced  into  an  attitude  of  apparent  hos- 
tility, but  sheer  self-defense  compelled  a  course  of  action 
against  a  paper  which  was  sapping  the  foundations  of  a 
system  built  up  through  long  years  of  toils  and  tears,  of 


376  HISTOEY    OF    TP:XAS    BAPTISTS 

prayers  and  strenuous  effort.  Reluctant,  at  first,  to  enter 
the  arena  of  contest,  of  which  there  had  been  quite  enough, 
the  denomination  gradually  reached  the  conclusion,  with 
a  grim  determination,  to  end  the  strife  by  some  decisive 
action.  Still,  there  was  no  desire  to  be  precipitate  in  oppo- 
sition, even  to  a  policy  which  was  spreading  discord  from 
end  to  end  of  the  land.  But  it  was  evident  that  the  most 
disastrous  consequences  must  attend  present  conditions. 
The  prolonged  agitation  among  the  churches  and  associa- 
tions was  not  only  engendering  discontent",  but  inviting 
strife  and  disintegration.  The  mission  spirit  among  the 
people  was  being  dried  up,  and  the  attempts  at  efficient 
work  on  the  part  of  the  agents  of  the  denomination  were 
being  everywhere  thwarted. 

A  course  so  ruinous  to  a  great  cause  could  not  go  un- 
challenged. Not  to  resist  it,  not  to  overcome  it,  would  have 
been  recreant  to  the  high  claims  to  Christian  manhood. 
Profoundly  was  the  deriomination  coming  to  be  possessed 
by  this  conviction.  Following  the  Belton  Convention  the 
columns  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  were  devoted  to 
a  renewal  of  the  war  on  the  integrity  of  the  denomination 
in  its  organic  existence.  Matters  which  had  been  rigidly 
reviewed  by  the  unbiased  judgment  of  the  Board  of  Direct- 
ors, which  Board  was  certainly  as  desirous  of  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  correctness  of  conduct  of  those  in  its  employ- 
ment as  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  could  possibly  have 
been — such  matters  were  dragged  again  into  light,  and  com- 
mented on 'as  though  they  had  never  claimed  the  attention 
of  the  Board.  Yet  as  a  matter  of  fact,  financial  and  judicial 
acumen  had  been  combined  with  religious  loyalty  to  see  that 
every  jot  and  tittle  of  every  disputed  question  was  correct. 

The  report  of  the  corresponding  secretary  of  former 
years,  or  so  much  of  it  as  related  to  the  last  six  months  of 
his  incumbency  of  that  office,  was  made  a  special  object  of 
notoriety,  and  the  personal  integrity  of  the  former  secre- 
tary was  seriously  challenged  before  the  public.  While  all 
this  had  been  gone  over  with  scrupulous  care.  Doctor  Cran- 
fill  asked  that  the  whole  matter  be  reopened  and  another  in- 
vestigation be  had.  In  addition  to  all  this,  issues  of  a  trivial 
nature  were  by  Dr.  Hayden  lugged  into  the  unseemly  dis- 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  377 

cussion,  such  as  those  relating  to  the  purchase  of  a  spittoon 
for  the  office  of  the  corresponding  secretary,  and  exagger- 
ated importance  was  given  to  the  purchase  of  towels  and 
soap.  Various  issues  were  sprung  in  the  columns  of  the 
Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,  and  were  reinforced  by  the  editor 
whenever  he  appeared  at  an  association.  These  strifeful 
and  petty  issues,  to  which  was  attached  so  much  importance, 
transformed  devotional  bodies  of  men  and  women  into 
confusion  and  rancor.  Such  was  the  condition  which 
wrought  such  great  denominational  damage  and  which  led 
up  to  the  Convention  which  was  held  in  Houston  in  1896. 

About  all  organizations  and  interests  of  worth  there 
hovers  a  batch  of  malcontents  whose  grievances,  whether 
real  or  supposed,  are  ready  at  all  times  to  seek  vent.  Any 
occasion  of  opposition  to  such  interest  or  organization  is 
made  the  means  of  supposed  rectification  of  all  wrong.  The 
present  movement  against  the  State  Convention  and  its 
Board  was  no  exception  to  this  rule.  Into  this  movement 
many  w^ere  drawn — indeed,  all  who  found  any  reason  for 
complaint.  Among  these  were  good  men,  who,  yielding  to 
the  spasm  of  the  hpur,  when  agitation  was  rife,  were  drawn 
into  the  seething  current.  With  the  gradual  return  of 
calmer  times  and  calmer  temper,  there  came  many  regrets, 
and  in  serene  judgment,  and  in  response  to  better  prompt- 
ings, many  returned  to  the  Convention  and  engaged  as  be- 
fore in  its  good  work. 

Under  disadvantages  sore  and  severe,  the  work  in  all 
the  departments  of  operation  was  as  vigorously  pushed 
through  the  months  of  1896  as  conditions  would  allow.  At 
every  point  the  agents  and  missionaries  of  the  State  Board 
were  met  by  embarrassment  and  opposition.  With  the 
strenuosity  of  effort  on  the  part  of  these  men  rose  the  des- 
peration of  the  opposition.  Patience  was  being  rapidly 
pressed  beyond  the  boundary  of  a  virtue.  There  is  a  point 
beyond  which  human  endurance  cannot  go,  and  that  point 
was  being  rapidly  reached.  In  order  to  avoid  as  far  as  pos- 
sible the  joining  of  issues,  and  still  entertaining  the  faint 
hope  that  a  turn  might  come  in  the  current,  the  work  was 
directed  in  accommodation  to  existing  conditions.  One  of 
these   features   found  expression   in  the   reduction   of  the 


378  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

number  of  missionaries  to  sixty-six.  The  Baptists  of  the 
State  were  never  before  confronted  by  so  serious  a  crisis. 

The  time  for  the  meeting  of  the  next  Convention  ap- 
proached. It  was  contemplated  with  an  unusual  degree  of 
apprehension.  The  State  Board  had  resolved  to  meet  the 
issue  squarely.  It  was  determined  to  strip  the  mask  from 
the  opposition  and  leave  the  people  to  do  as  they  might. 
October  9,  1896,  the  time  named  for  the  annual  session  of 
the  Convention,  came.  The  ability  of  the  denomination  was 
present.  It  was  an  eventful  gathering — a  gathering  of 
thoughtful,  serious  men  bent  on  serious  business.  The  past 
year  had  been  one  of  storm,  and  the  opposition  was  as  de- 
termined as  ever  to  push  its  troubles  into  the  Convention. 
During  the  past  year  the  powers  of  the  ablest  had  been 
taxed  to  stem  the  inroad  of  disturbance.  To  the  Board  of 
Directors  belonged  many  of  the  choicest  and  wisest  spirits 
in  the  ranks  of  the  Baptists  of  the  State,  who  were  in  Hous- 
ton to  face  the  grave  juncture  into  which  they  had  been 
brought.  To  this  Board  belonged  such  men  as  B.  H.  Car- 
roll, F.  L.  Carrol],  W.  H.  Jenkins,  A.  B.  Miller,  D.  I. 
Smyth,  J.  B.  Scarborough,  George  W.  Truett,  L.  L.  Foster, 
A.  J.  Fawcett,  E.  E.  King,  W.  C.  Lattimore,  J.  B.  Riddle, 
W.  L.  Skinner,  J.  C.  Gentry  and  others — men  true  and  tried, 
and  worthy  of  the  confidence  of  any  body  of  Christians  be- 
neath the  sun.  Under  the  mature  auspices  of  such  men,  a 
report  had  been  prepared  which  was,  in  due  time,  to  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  Convention. 

The  body  was  organized  by  making  R.  C.  Buckner, 
president ;  L.  M.  Mays,  G.  W.  Smith,  and  J-  F.  Patterson, 
vice-presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baton  and  J.  H.  Truett,  record- 
ing secretaries.  There  were  present  about  500  messengers 
from  every  quarter  of  the  State.  From  the  outset  there 
was  a  tension  of  excitement.  The  low  hum  of  groups  and 
knots  of  men  gathered  here  and  there,  betokened  the  coming 
storm  which  was  destined  to  burst  over  the  Convention. 
Every  precaution  was  taken  in  advance  to  hold  the  pro- 
ceedings within  the  bounds  of  propriety.  Men  long  used 
to  the  rough  encounters  of  the  world  feared  the  worst. 
Among  the  numerous  visitors  present  was  Doctor  J.  B. 
Gambrell,  then  of  Atlanta,  Georgia,  who  came  as  associate 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  379 

editor  of  the  Texas  Baptist  Standard  and  on  the  urgent 
soHcitation  of  Doctor  Cranfill,  editor  of  The  Standard.  He 
was  destined  in  after  years  to  be  conspicuous  in  the  scenes 
which  he  witnessed  on  this  eventful  occasion. 

It  was  apprehended  that  the  forthcoming  report  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  would  evoke  much  violence  of  speech, 
and  it  was  resolved  in  advance  that  speeches  should  be  lim- 
ited to  one  hour,  and  that  no  one  should  be  permitted  to 
speak  more  than  once,  till  all  who  desired  to  be  heard  had 
spoken.  The  report  of  the  Board  was  read  under  conditions 
of  the  most  intense  interest  and  attention.  It  was  able  and 
exhaustive,  direct  and  frank  throughout,  and  a  full  hour 
or  more  was  consumed  in  reading  it.  Reciting  the  funda- 
mental principles  underlying  the  Board,  its  province  and  its 
scope  of  authority  as  created  by  the  Convention,  its  policy 
as  expressed  in  its  history,  especially  during  the  last  ten 
years  since  the  mergence  of  the  two  bodies,  were  all 
ably  set  forth.  The  prudence  and  wisdom  w'hich  had  sought 
to  be  exercised  in  each  step  taken ;  the  changes  of  the  policy 
of  the  Board  as  authorized  by  the  Convention ;  the  necessity 
of  the  changes  in  the  employment  of  additional  agents,  in 
the  promotion  of  the  work  as  it  rapidly  progressed — all 
these  grounds  w^ere  carefully  gone  over  in  a  masterly  way. 

It  was  clear  to  all  that  the  report  was  designed  to  answer 
the  numerous  charges,  attacks  and  criticisms  whcih  had 
found  place  in  the  columns  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Her- 
ald, which  had  been  so  conducive  to  much  misunderstand- 
ing, distraction  and  downright  opposition  to  the  general 
work  as  done  through  the  Board.  The  report  resolved  itself 
into  a  defense  of  the  action  of  the  Convention  in  forecast- 
ing the  course  pursued  by  the  Board,  then  followed  a  state- 
ment of  the  work  of  the  Board  during  the  past  year,  the 
comparative  smallness  of  which  was  attributed,  in  part,  to 
the  disastrous  drought  of  the  past  seasons,  and  partly  to  the 
disturbance  produced  by  the  agitation.  The  members  of 
the  Board  had  stood  horrified  at  the  hostility  shown,  which 
was  as  unnecessary  as  it  w^as  unnatural.  A  storm  w^as 
abroad,  the  results  of  which  no  one  could  foresee,  so  phe- 
nomenal were  the  conditions  and  so  uncalled-for  the  occa- 
sion. 


380  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

The  character  of  the  criticism  offered  against  the  Board 
with  respect  to  its  expenditures  was  set  over  against  that  of 
the  dehberate  judgment  of  men  unbiased,  and  after  accord- 
ing due  weight  to  the  criticism,  the  question  was  raised : 
"Who  shall  determine  the  amount  of  salary  and  expense?" 
Then  the  principle  of  individual  and  biased  judgment  was 
calmly  considered  in  connection  with  that  of  a  great  de- 


REV.  OTIS  E.  CARTER,  AUSTIN,  TEXAS. 

(Born  in  Cherokee  Co.,  Tex.,  near  Alto,  April  1,  1873;  after  receiving 
a  common  school  education,  he  entered  newspaper  work,  which  he  pur- 
sued for  several  years ;  was  converted  in  1896  at  Abilene,  Texas ;  not 
long  after  he  entered  the  ministry,  being  licensed  by  the  Abilene  church  ; 
he  served  two  and  a  half  years  at  Hempstead,  Texas,  from  where  he 
went  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  1900  ;  after  three  years'  study  In  the  S.  B. 
T.  S.,  he  accepted  the  call  to  Second  Street  church,  Austin,  Texas,  taking 
charge  of  the  work  in  July,  1903 :  his  four  years*  pastorate  in  the 
Capitol  city  has  been  divinely  blessed :  the  Second  Street  church  has 
grown  from  a  small  membership  and  obscurity  to  a  large  and  healthy 
community ;  the  church  now  ranks  among  the  most  Important  in  the 
Southwest  section  of  the  State ;  it  has  a  membership  of  more  than  300, 
has  undertaken  a  movement  to  build  one  of  the  most  expensive  houses 
of  worship  In  the  city,  and  maintains  a  mission  Sunday  school  on  the 
prospective  site  for   the   new   church.) 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  381 

liberative  body  under  the  authority  of  which  the  Board  was 
acting.  It  was  further  insisted  that  the  organization  must 
protect  itself  and  its  officers  from  open  contempt  of  its 
authority,  or  else  itself  become  contemptible. 

Brushing  aside  supposed  plausible  reasons  which  might 
have  been  urged  as  to  the  scantiness  of  success,  the  report 
proceeds  boldly  and  unequivocally  to  the  charge  that  the 
agent  who  had  been  "undermining  the  mission  work"  and 
"sowing  down  our  once  fertile  fields  with  salt;"  who  had 
"persistently,  ruthlessly  and  openly  in  public  print  attacked 
this  Board,  its  methods  and  work,"  with  divers  charges  of 
"wanton  extravagance  and  reckless  waste  of  public  funds," 
was  S.  A.  Hayden.    The  arraignment  continues : 

"Through  an  unwitting  instrument,  unconscious  of  what 
he  was  led  by  him  to  sign,  he  has  published  virtual  charges 
of  embezzlement  against  the  secretary  and  by  fair  implica- 
tion against  the  Board  itself." 

Many  other  charges  of  as  serious  a  character  were  made, 
accompanied  by  the  statement  that  the  Board  had  borne  all 
in  silent  patience,  but  the  opinion  was  firmly  expressed  in 
the  report  that  the  Convention  must  decide  between  S.  A. 
Hayden  and  "the  transcendent  interests  of  Christ's  king- 
dom." The  demand  was  made  direct  that  S.  A.  Hayden  "no 
longer  be  allowed  a  seat  in  this  body,"  and  then  with  solemn 
earnestness  insisted  that  "we,  with  full  understanding  of 
the  responsibilities  involved,  now  solemnly,  prayerfully,  and 
earnestly  do  so  recommend."  The  elaborate  report  con- 
cluded with  three  recommendations  to  be  taken  up  sepa- 
rately, thus : 

1.  The  endorsement  or  disapproval  of  our  work  this 
year. 

2.  The  adoption  or  rejection  of  our  recommendation 
concerning  S.  A.  Hayden. 

3.  Shall  the  documents  concerning  the  last  six  months 
of  J.  B.  Cranfill's  work  be  examined  by  a  committee  and  an 
itemized  report  ordered  printed  in  the  Minutes? 

A  certain  "protest"  was  filed  against  certain  portions  of 
the  report,  and  in  the  light  of  subsequent  events,  two  of 
the  signers  became  special  recipients  of  severe  arraignments 
at  the  hands  of  Doctor  Hayden.    These  were  J.  M.  Robert- 


^^*^^ 


382  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

son  and  L.  D.  Lamkin.    The  "protest"  was  as  follows : 

"To  the  above  report,  both  in  detail  and  as  a  whole,  ex- 
cept the  annual  report  of  the  superintendent  of  missions,  we, 
the  undcrsi^c^ncd  members  of  the  Board  of  Directors  enter 
our  most  earnest  protest.  IJeHevino-  that  it  is  not  competent 
for  the  Board  of  Directors  under  the  Constitution  of  the 
Convention  to  consider  as  a  ])Oard  many  of  the  things  incor- 
porated in  the  above  report,  or  to  arraign  any  person  or  per- 
sons for  trial  before  this  Convention,  we  ask  that  this,  our 
protest,  be  inseparably  attached  to  the  report,  and  be  printed 
in  the  Minutes  of  the  Convention."  This  was  signed  bv 
J.  M.  Robertson,  L.  D.  Lamkin.  H.  B.  Pender,  G.  W.  Pick- 
ett, A.  B.  Miller  and  L.  W.  Duke. 

Other  routine  business  followed  the  reading  of  the  re- 
port and  during  the  interval  the  convention  sermon  was 
preached  by  A.  H.  Mitchell,  but  the  report  and  its  possible 
consequences  was  still  the  profoundly  absorbing  thought  of 
the  members.  The  situation  w'as  not  a  little  complicated  by 
the  protest,  as  it  conveyed  the  idea  that  the  Convention  was 
divided  in  its  sentiment  of  sustaining  the  Board.  The  items 
already  named,  on  which  the  Convention  was  asked  to  pass, 
were  taken  up  in  due  order.  The  first  was  passed,  and  the 
work  of  the  Board  was  endorsed.  The  more  serious  matter, 
namely :  "That  S.  A.  Hayden  no  longer  be  allowed  a  seat  in 
this  body"  coming  up,  charges  were  presented  against  S.  A. 
Hayden  by  J.  B.  Scarborough  and  B.  H.  Carroll.  In  re- 
buttal, S.  A.  Hayden  ofifered  testimony.  The  Convention 
was  thus  turned  into  a  court  in  which  witnesses  were  duly 
examined  and  their  testimony  taken  down. 

The  close  of  the  week  found  the  trial  uncompleted.  After 
the  intervention  of  Sunday  with  the  pulpits  of  the  city  occu- 
pied by  members  of  the  body,  the  trial  was  resumed  on 
Monday.  It  excited  immense  interest  throughout  the  city, 
and  many  were  the  remarks  made  about  the  warring  ele- 
ments of  Baptists.  Doctor  Hayden  suggested  the  presence 
of  a  policeman,  which  he  afterward  explained  to  be  due  to 
the  fact  that  in  one  of  the  city  papers  the  statement  had  been 
made  that  a  policeman  had  to  be  called  in  to  keep  Doctor 
Hayden  in  order.  He  explained  that  while  no  policeman 
had  been  present,  he  was  willing  to  show  that  he  was  not 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  383 

reluctant  for  one  to  be  present,  that  whatever  restraint  was 
necessary  to  be  imposed  on  him  by  the  presence  of  such  an 
officer  might  be  imposed.  But  since  his  purpose  had  been 
misunderstood,  he  regretted  such  suggestion  on  his  part, 
and  would  witlidraw  it.  Documentary  and  personal  evi- 
dence was  presented  throughout  all  Monday  afternoon, 
when  the  rebuttal  closed. 

At  this  juncture  O.  S.  Lattimore  offered  the  following, 
which  was  adopted : 

"Whereas,  The  protracted  discussions  growing  out  of  the 
attitude  of  Doctor  S.  A.  Hayden,  editor  of  the  Texas  Bap- 
tist and  Herald,  toward  the  Board  of  Directors  and  the  or- 
ganized work  of  the  Convention  for  years  past ; 

"And,  Whereas,  it  is  believed  that  the  official  acts  of  our 
Mission  Board  have  been  unjustly  criticised  by  Doctor  S. 
A.  Hayden  through  his  paper; 

"And  Whereas,  the  continued  criticisms  have  greatly  re- 
tarded and  paralyzed  our  work  by  creating  contention 
among  brethren,  by  creating  opposition  to  our  work,  and  by 
weakening  the  financial  support  of  the  Convention ; 

"And,  Whereas,  It  is  the  sense  of  this  Convention  that 
the  agencies  which  led  to  this  unpleasant  condition,  should 
not  be  allowed  to  go  further  without  an  earnest  protest 
and  rebuke ; 

"And,  Whereas,  It  is  not  clear  to  some  good  brethren 
as  to  the  expediency  of  unseating  Doctor  Hayden  from  this 
Convention,  but  is  clear  that  effort  should  be  made  to  right 
the  wrong ;  now,  therefore,  be  it 

"Resolved,  (i)  That  the  motion  now  pending,  which 
is  a  motion  to  adopt  the  recommendation  of  the  Board 
of  Directors,  'that  S.  A.  Hayden  no  longer  be  allowed  a 
seat  in  this  body,'  be  amended  by  striking  out  the  words, 
'That  S.  A.  Hayden  no  longer  be  allowed  a  seat  in  this 
body,'  and  by  inserting  therein  the  words,  'That  the  Bap- 
tists of  Texas,  in  Convention  assembled,  at  Houston,  now 
here,  do  upon  evidence  heard  by  the  Convention,  express 
their  strong  disapproval  and  condemnation  of  the  course 
of  said  Hayden,  as  editor  and  publisher  of  a  Baptist  paper, 
in  persistently  attacking  through  the  columns  of  said  paper, 
editorially  and  otherwise,  the  Board  of  Directors  of  this 


384  IIISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Convention,  both  as  individuals,  and  as  the  servants  of  this 
Convention,  in  matters  entrusted  to  them  by  this  Con- 
vention. 

"  'And,  further,  That  this  body  in  its  Convention  capac- 
ity, and  as  a  body  entitled  to  command  and  receive  the 
respect  and  consideration  of  every  individual  Baptist  of 
Texas,  and  for  the  sake  of  the  cause  of  our  Lord  and  Master, 
shall,  and  the  same  does  hereby  request  and  demand  of  said 
Hayden  that  he  refrain  and  desist,  in  the  future,  from  such 
attacks  upon  said  Board  of  Directors  as  a  board,  or  upon 
its  members  as  such,  and  that  editorially  and  otherwise  he 
refrain  and  desist  from  the  use  of  the  columns  of  his  said 
paper  in  making  such  attacks,  as  before  referred  to. 

"'(3)  And,  further.  That  in  the  future  we  demand,  as 
the  authors  and  creators  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  that 
any  complaints  or  charges  personal  to  the  Board  of  Direct- 
ors, or  any  other  board  created  by  this  body,  be  made  in 
this  Convention  and  to  this  Convention,  as  the  only  proper 
place  and  authority,  where  and  to  whom  such  charges  and 
complaints  should  be  made.'  " 

This  conciliatory  action  was  resisted,  but  was  neverthe- 
less overwhelmingly  adopted.  Later,  during  the  session, 
Rev.  W.  T.  Tardy  offered  a  series  of  resolutions  signed 
by  twenty-eight  brethren  and  two  sisters,  protesting  against 
the  action  taken  against  Dr.  S.  A.  Hayden,  which  resolutions 
did  much  toward  neutralizing  the  action  taken  in  disap- 
proval of  the  course  of  Doctor  Hayden,  and  really  served  to 
widen  the  breach  already  existing.  This  protest  was  as 
follows : 

"We,  the  undersigned  members  of  the  Baptist  General 
Convention  of  Texas,  hereby  present  this  protest  against 
the  action  of  the  body,  in  the  matter  of  the  Board  against 
S.  A.  Llayden : 

"i.  We  protest  against  the  action  of  the  body  because 
S.  A.  Hayden  was  arraigned  on  a  recommendation  of  a 
majority  of  the  Board  as  on  the  indictment  of  a  grand 
jury,  and  after  said  Board,  through  its  members,  appeared 
as  presecutors  or  witnesses  and  the  testimony  was  all  taken, 
the  resolution  of  censure  was  passed,  showing  that  the 
prosecution  had  broken  down  while  said  resolution  was  a 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  385 

clear  verdict  of  'not  guilty,  as  charged  in  the  indictment ; 
nevertheless,  the  tendency  was  to  fix  the  odium  of  guilt  upon 
Brother  Hayden,  while  he  was  not  permitted  to  make  any 
comments  on  his  proof,  or  any  defense  as  to  the  resolutions 
of  censure. 

"2.  We  protest  further.  That  the  arraignment  of  an 
individual,  apart  from  the  church  from  which  he  was  an 
accredited  messenger,  is  in  direct  conflict  with  the  Con- 
stitution of  this  body,  and  the  usages  of  Baptists  the  world 
over. 

"3.  We  further  protest  against  the  action  of  the  body 
in  demanding  of  the  editor  of  an  independent  Baptist  paper 
to  pursue  a  certain  line  of  policy,  as  being  wholly  un- 
Baptistic,  and  in  accord  with  those  ecclesiastical  bodies 
which  claim  the  right  to  muzzle  their  organs  and  to  direct 
them  in  accordance  with  their  own  wishes. 

"4.  Lastly,  we  protest  against  such  action,  as  ignoring 
the  real  issue  involved  and  covering  it  up  by  an  unconstitu- 
tional arraignment  and  trial  of  one  who  represents  the 
sentiments  of  a  large  part  of  our  denomination." 

This  was  signed  by  R.  C.  Burleson,  S.  J.  Anderson,  J.  J. 
Felder,  J.  W.  A.  Scale,  W.  T.  Sanders,  J.  F.  Head;  W.  H. 
Wynn,  G.  W.  Pickett,  William  T.  Tardy,  S.  H.  Slaughter, 
F.  W.  Fox,  H.  Y.  Livelv,  J\Irs.  J.  T-  Felder,  W.  W.  Aulick, 
Mrs.  W.  W.  Aulick,  B.  B.  Youiigblood,  J.  W.  Edmondson, 
W.  E.  Dear,  J.  B.  Worley,  R.  C.  Wright,  W.  T.  Compere, 
Walter  E.  Tynes,  H.  B.  Pender,  S.  L.  Morris,  W.  W. 
Coney,  E.  J.  McFarland,  John  Overall,  Joel  Townsend, 
James  F.  Duncan,  E.  B.  Hardie,  Oswald  Garrett,  E.  A. 
Puthuflf  and  L.  S.  Knight. 

It  is  clear  that  the  introduction  of  such  a  document 
was  the  addition  of  fuel  to  the  flame,  while  it  shows  the 
ferment  in  which  the  Convention  was.  Lines  were  thus 
drawn  which  became  more  those  of  decided  demarcation  in 
the  future.  Attention  was  called  by  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  to  the 
fact  that  the  ten  years  appointed  by  the  Convention  for  re- 
taining the  system  of  co-education  in  Baylor  University  had 
expired,  and  he  bore  a  recommendation  to  the  Convention 
from  the  Board  of  Trustees  that  the  system  be  made  perma- 
nent.    The  recommendations  suggest  that  inasmuch  as  cer- 


38G  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS   BAPTISTS 

tain  parents  prefer  the  separate  instruction  of  the  sexes, 
Baylor  College,  at  Belton,  be  encouraged  and  promoted, 
but  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  those  who  favor  the  co- 
educational idea,  the  system  be  maintained  at  Baylor  Uni- 
versity. The  recommendations  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
were  complied  with. 

There  were  present  at  this  session  of  the  Convention  a 
number  of  new  pastors,  who  had  come  from  other  states, 
and  were  accretions  of  strength  to  the  ranks  of  the  denomi- 
nation. Among  such  were  B.  R.  Womack,  J.  A.  French, 
W.  M.  Harris,  G.  S.  Tumlin  and  W.  S.  Splawn. 

M.  D.  Early  declined  to  be  considered  in  connection  with 
the  secretaryship  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  but  he  was 
elected,  at  any  rate,  by  acclamation. 

Work  among  the  negroes  was  discontinued,  as  an  inte- 
gral part  of  this  Convention,  because  of  dissatisfaction 
among  themselves,  concerning  the  work,  and  it  was  deemed 
wise  to  leave  them  alone  until  their  dififerences  could  be 
settled.  Altogether,  the  Convention,  at  Houston,  was  a 
most  unfortunate  occasion  to  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  It 
left  in  its  wake  a  most  unsavory  odor,  and  the  impression 
of  the  Baptist  Convention  as  a  host  of  turbulence,  abode 
in  that  quarter  of  the  state  for  years  together.  There  is  no 
question  that  conditions  in  the  denomination  were  never 
worse  than  at  this  time.  The  disturbance  which  marked 
the  proceedings  at  Houston,  the  utterances  which  character- 
ized some  of  the  speeches,  and  the  divided  sentiment  left 
the  denomination  in  a  humiliating  light  before  the  public. 
The  violence  which  spent  its  force  at  Houston  seems  to 
have  been  somewhat  exhaustive.  For  a  short  while  there 
was  comparative  quietude,  w^hen  the  attacks  were  renewed 
with  vigor.  The  severe  rebuke  administered  to  Doctor 
Hayden  by  the  convention  had  its  sting  extracted  largely  by 
the  counter  resolution  offered  by  W.  T.  Tardy,  and  signed 
by  himself  and  twenty-eight  others,  and  there  was  sufficient 
encouragement  to  renew  the  disturbance.  Notwithstanding 
the  report  of  Doctor  CranfiU  underwent  another  search- 
ing investigation,  and  he  was  again  exonerated,  and  the 
items  of  the  period  about  which  there  was  so  much  ado, 
published  in  the  minutes,  this  was  the  occasion  of  renewed 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  387 

attack,  and  the  matter  was  again  threshed  out  before  the 
pubHc.  At  Houston,  the  original  report  was  accessible  to 
Doctor  Hayden,  and  the  subject  to  his  personal  investiga- 
tion ;  the  report  was  presented  to  the  body,  and  so  impressed 
was  Dr.  S.  J.  Anderson,  one  of  the  closest  friends  of  Doctor 
Hayden,  with  its  correctness,  that  he  moved  the  adoption 
of  the  report,  yet  it  was  again  brought  into  prominence  and 
made  the  occasion  of  much  bitterness  in  the  columns  of 
Doctor  Hayden's  paper.  Denominational  sentiment  was 
again  torn  into  tatters,  the  work  was  seriously  hindered,  and 
havoc  was  wrought  in  many  directions.  Instead  of  com- 
manding the  respect  of  which  so  great  a  body  of  Christians 
was  worthy,  the  denomination  became  a  hiss  and  byword,  in 
some  quarters,  and  an  object  of  derision  to  many  who  knew 
nothing  of  the  facts,  and  saw  only  the  outer  side  of  the  situa- 
tion. This  was  keenly  felt  by  many,  but  an  explanation  was 
discounted.  Many  came  to  see  that  it  was  an  error  not  to 
have  taken  final  action  respecting  the  severance  of  Doctor 
Hayden,  at  Houston,  and  his  bearing  during  the  next  year 
convinced  many  who  were  doubtful  of  the  course  at  Hous- 
ton that  preservation  lay  in  separating  from  him  as  early 
as   practicable. 

The  State  Board  was  removed  from  Waco  to  Dallas, 
which  place  henceforth  became  the  center  of  denominational 
activity.  During  the  following  year,  M.  D.  Early  retired 
from  the  secretaryship  of  the  Board,  and  for  a  period  of 
months  it  was  without  a  secretary.  A  meeting  of  the  Board 
was  called  to  elect  such  an  officer,  and  the  matter  was  ap- 
proached with  great  caution  and  profound  seriousness. 
That  a  serious  crisis  had  been  reached,  every  one  saw ; 
that  the  utmost  care  should  be  exercised  was  recognized 
on  all  hands ;  that  no  one  was  within  view  competent  to 
occupy  so  difficult  a  position  in  a  time  of  extreme  peril, 
awoke  grave  concern.  It  was  a  time  of  devout  dependence 
on  God.  Every  member  of  the  Board  felt  thus  as  the 
body  came  together.  None  were  willing  to  offer  the  position 
to  any  one,  unless  God  should  guide.  It  was  a  season  of 
serious  wrestling  and  prayer.  Throughout  most  of  the 
night,  prayer  deep  and  fervent  was  engaged  in  for  light 
and  sfuidance.     It  was  the  most  eventful  occasion  in  the 


388 


lirSTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


history  of  the  Ijoard.  No  nomination  was  made,  and,  at 
last,  the  members  voted — voted  silently,  solemnly.  The 
result  was  the  unanimous  election  of  J.  B.  Gambrell,  of 
Georgia.  He  was  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  devising  other  plans,  and 
looking  in  other  directions ;  but  when  the  call  came,  he 
accepted.  Another  important  change  took  place  about  this 
time,  that  of  the  retirement  of  Dr.  R.  C.  Burleson  from  the 
presidency  of  Baylor  University.     His   advanced  age  and 


REV.   W.    S.    LACKICY,    CALDWELL,   TEXAS. 

increasing  infirmity,  and  the  growing  importance  of  the 
school,  led  to  his  retirement.  He  was  honored  with  the 
position  of  president  emeritus  of  the  institution,  and  given 
a  salary  for  life  of  $2,000  a  year. 

These  events  furnished  new  occasion  for  detraction  and 
distraction  in  the  columns  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald. 
Unworthy  motives  were  attributed  to  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll, 
as  the  cause  of  the  retirement  of  Doctor  Burleson,  and  as 
occasion  would  offer,  this  was  combined  with  other  causes 
as  a  ground  of  complaint,  and  disseminated  far  and  wide 
over  the  country.     Says  Dr.  J.  B.  Gambrell,  in  a  pamphlet 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  389 

already  quoted,  entitled,  "The  Evolution  of  the  Texas  Situa- 
tion," in  referring  to  this  particular  period:  "There  began 
also  in  the  fall  leading  up  to  the  San  Antonio  Con- 
vention a  distinct  effort,  inaugurated  at  the  Navarro 
County  Association,  to  pack  the  Convention  with  an  in- 
structed delegation,  committed  in  advance  to  Doctor  Hay- 
den.  There  were  ceaseless  assaults  in  the  associations, 
on  every  part  of  the  work,  and  on  every  prominent  worker 
in  the  field.  It  soon  became  evident  that  a  great  convention 
would  be  called  out  by  the  efforts  of  Doctor  Hayden  to 
pack  it."* 

There  was  an  unexpected  difficulty  encountered  in  the 
early  fall  of  1897.  The  invitation  of  the  church  at  Weath- 
erford  to  hold  the  next  session  in  that  town  had  been  ac- 
cepted, but  when  it  was  discovered  that  the  Convention 
would  be  an  unusually  large  one,  the  Weatherford  saints 
notified  the  Board  that  they  felt  unequal  to  entertain  so  large 
a  body  as  would  prospectively  gather  at  that  time,  and  the 
Board  properly  excused  the  church  from  such  an  under- 
taking, and  Temple  was  next  selected.  But  the  yellow 
fever  had  appeared  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  and  a 
suspicious  epidemic  called  dengue  fever  had  broken  out 
at  Temple,  and  the  risk  was  not  a  safe  one  to  incur.  This 
was  denounced  in  the  columns  of  Doctor  Hayden's  paper 
as  a  scheme  on  the  part  of  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  to  spirit  the 
Convention  away  to  some  remote  quarter  in  order  to  pre- 
vent a  logical  expression  of  the  supporters  of  Doctor  Hay- 
den by  making  it  impossible  for  them  to  attend.  But  the 
town  council  of  Temple  interposed,  and  expressed  officially 
the  opinion  that  it  would  be  unsafe  for  a  body  so  large  to 
assemble  there,  and  so  that  point  as  a  place  of  meeting  had 
to  be  surrendered.  This  was  again  attributed  by  Doctor 
Hayden  to  the  interference  of  the  officials  of  the   Board. 

Thus  went  on  the  ugly  and  unseemly  charges.  The 
readers  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald  were  every  week 
regaled  with  charges  of  trickery  and  scheming,  as  though 
they  were  politicians  of  the  worst  type.f    At  that  juncture 


*Page  11. 
tib.,  page  12. 


390  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

San  Antonio  invited  the  Convention  to  meet  in  that  city, 
the  only  place  from  which  an  invitation  came,  and  it  was 
agreed  to  accept  it.  Two  reasons  only  led  the  Convention 
to  San  Antonio — one  of  which  was,  it  was  the  only  city 
left  open  in  which  to  meet  in  an  emergency  like  this,  and 
the  other  was  because  San  Antonio  invited  it. 

No  situation  could  have  been  more  harassing  than  the 
one  which  now  confronted  the  denomination.  Charges 
were  repeated  week  after  week  by  Doctor  Hayden,  and 
every  possible  effort  was  made  to  defeat  the  work  of  the 
State  Board  on  the  field.  Notwithstanding  this,  there  was 
loyalty  in  thousands  of  hearts,  and  there  was  a  sufficient 
amount  and  more  of  money  to  meet  the  obligations  of  the 
State  Board.  Affairs  were  reaching  a  crisis  such  as  had 
to  be  met,  and  met  promptly  and  effectively.  A  partial 
concession  had  been  made  at  Houston  the  year  before,  a 
scathing  rebuke  had  been  administered  to  Doctor  Hayden, 
the  Convention  had  spoken  in  no  uncertain  terms,  and  yet 
his  course  had  been  such  as  to  justify  no  belief  that  it 
would  grow  better.  Many  who  had  deplored  his  course 
formerly  and  were  disposed  to  favor  him  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, were  now  pronounced  in  their  determination  to  check 
his  course  if  another  opportunity  should  present  itself.  The 
fear  felt  at  Houston  by  some  that  possible  injustice  would 
be  done  him  if  a  seat  w^ere  denied  him.  and  who  conserva- 
tively and  in  the  interest  of  peace  sought  to  avert  the  pro- 
posed action  against  him,  were  no  longer  his  friends.  Even 
the  most  pronounced  of  his  opponents  hoped  that  the  seri- 
ous rebuke  and  timely  warning  would  be  sufficient  to  check 
his  reckless  charges,  and  for  that  reason,  and  not  because 
they  failed  to  establish  the  facts  there  charged,  he  was  not 
expelled  from  the  body  at  that  time.  Some  who  were 
■favorable  to  him  at  Houston  felt  that  a  blunder  had  been 
committed,  and  stood  ready  to  carry  into  effect  a  similar 
movement  if  made  again. 

The  memory  of  the  Houston  Convention  abode  in  the 
recollections  of  many  as  one  recalls  a  horrible  nightmare. 
The  approaching  convention  at  San  Antonio  was  looked 
forward  to  with  much  misgiving  and  foreboding.  The 
gates  of  Heaven   were  daily  besieged  that  the  wrath  of 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  391 

man  might  be  turned  to  divine  glory.  The  desperate  means 
employed  during  the  year  to  thwart  every  worthy  move- 
ment, the  aspersions  cast  on  the  worthiest  of  characters, 
and  the  attempted  alignment  of  every  force  that  wotdd 
make  against  the  causes  fostered  by  the  State  Convention, 
brought  sadness  to  the  hearts  of  thousands.  The  Conven- 
tion had  fallen  on  evil  times.  No  one  could  pierce  the 
thicket  of  difficulty  and  see  the  light  beyond.  What  could 
be  done  under  difficulties  so  phenomenal  was  not  even  dimly 
visible.     The  future  was  banked  with  impenetrable  gloom. 

From  every  part  of  the  state  the  messengers  began  to 
arrive  in  San  Antonio.  They  came  by  hundreds,  by  thou- 
sands. Every  incoming  train  was  loaded,  and  the  city  was 
taxed  to  care  for  the  Baptist  hosts.  There  was  not  the 
usual  smile  that  accompanied  the  fraternal  hand-grasp. 
Men  wise  and  good  felt  that  a  calamity  was  impending. 
So  far  as  there  was  any  singleness  of  purpose,  it  was  that 
the  Convention  would  hold  itself  rigidly  to  the  work  in 
hand.     There  was  occasion  for  grave  concern. 

A  perplexity  arose  from  the  apprehension  attendant  on 
the  spirit  of  the  forthcoming  body.  What  would  be  the 
sentiment  of  the  Convention?  How  would  the  forces,  now 
numbering  many  hundreds  in  the  city,  line  up?  It  was 
estimated  that  probably  three  thousand  would  be  in  attend- 
ance on  the  Convention  at  San  Antonio.  Many  had  been 
drawn  thither  through  sheer  curiosity,  and  with  anxiety  to 
see  the  result  of  what  was  generally  anticipated  to  be  a 
coming  storm.  The  question  was  here  and  there  raised. 
What  shall  we  do  when  we  meet?  Impromptu  conferences 
were  held,  but  no  line  of  action  was  agreed  on.  Opinions 
were  as  diverse  as  faces.  The  general  opinion  was  to  enter 
on  the  work  ordinarily  pursued  by  the  body,  and  meet  the 
difficulties  as  they  might  come.  There  was  much  said  later 
about  a  conspiracy  formed  against  Doctor  Hayden,  but  in 
truth  there  was  not  sufficient  unity  of  opinion  to  reach  any 
definite  conclusion  on  the  part  of  any  given  number.'  The 
report  of  the  conspiracy  was  founded  in  the  fact  that  there 
was  an  informal  conference  at  the  Menger  Hotel,  where, 
in  his  kindly  anxiety  to  regulate  affairs,  Colonel  C.  C. 
Slaughter,   who   was   not    then   accustomed    to   attend   on 


392  lllSTOin'    ()['•    TKXAS    BAPTISTS 

sessions  of  the  Convention,  invited  some  messengers  to 
meet  in  order  to  talk  over  the  deplorable  situation.  It  was 
a  promiscuous  party,  seated  in  a  room  with  the  doors  and 
windows  opening  into  the  building  and  fully  on  the  street, 
and  one  into  which  men  came  and  went  at  will.  Yet  in  the 
subsequent  months  this  was  made  the  basis  of  a  lawsuit 
on  the  charge  of  being  a  conspiracy,  and  on  it  was  founded 
a  suit  which  was  shocking  to  the  moral  sense  of  the  entire 
state.  The  Convention  met  later  in  the  year  than  usual 
and  began  on  November  5.  In  the  initial  stages  of  the 
meeting  news  of  the  extreme  illness  of  Mrs.  B.  H.  Carroll 
was  received,  to  which  attention  was  called  by  Doctor  Jar- 
rell,  who  was  requested  to  offer  prayer  for  the  afflicted. 
This  was  followed  by  a  telegram  of  sympathy  from  the 
Convention  to  Doctor  Carroll.  Later  in  the  day.  Judge 
Jenkins  stated  that  he  had  a  dispatch  from  Doctor  Carroll, 
saying:  "Wife  is  dying."  Nothing  was  done  during  the 
first  day  save  the  presentation  of  the  claims  of  some  gen- 
eral interests  and  the  delivery  of  the  annual  sermon  by 
Rev.  W.  L.  Skinner.  The  second  day  came  and  the  devo- 
tional exercises  were  conducted  by  Dr.  A.  W.  McGaha, 
who  had  recently  come  to  Texas  from  Alabama  to  take 
charge  of  the  First  Church  of  Fort  Worth.  Meanwhile 
a  committee  on  credentials  was  engaged  in  perfecting  its 
report.  In  due  time  the  report  was  submitted  by  J.  M. 
Robertson,  which  report  was  divided  into  four  parts : 

1.  A  list  of  names  of  messengers  against  whom  there 
was  no  protest. 

2.  A  list  of  names  of  persons  against  which  protests 
were  filed  on  doctrinal  groimds. 

3.  The  name  of  one  person  representing  an  association, 
against  whose  right  to  a  seat  in  the  body  a  protest  had  been 
filed  by  a  messenger  from  another  association. 

4.  Two  different  sets  of  messengers,  each  claiming  to 
represent  the  same  church. 

This  portended  trouble,  and  the  air  quivered  with 
excitement.  There  was  an  unusually  large  attendance, 
many  of  whom  had  never  before  seen  a  Convention, 
and  the  body  was  unwieldy  because  of  its  rawness. 
President    lUickner    was    at    his    best,    and    the    confidence 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  393 

in  his  ability  was  supreme.  The  first  class  named  in  the 
report  was  adopted  without  hesitation,  and  the  remainder 
of  the  report  was  recommitted  with  instructions  to  report 
recommendations  of  procedure  respecting  the  others.  Pend- 
ing" the  report  the  body  was  organized  by  electing  R.  C. 
Buckner,  president ;  J.  M.  Robertson,  W.  R.  Maxwell  and 
W.  'B.  Denson,  vice  presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and  J.  H. 
Truett,  recording  secretaries.  In  addition  to  local  troubles 
was  that  of  the  assumed  defection  of  Dr.  W.  H.  Whitsitt, 
president  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Seminary. 
President  Whitsitt  had  expressed  certain  views  relative  to 
the  beginning  of  the  practice  of  immersion  among  English 
Baptists,  which  sentiments  had  created  a  profound  and  seri- 
ous division  of  sentiment  among  Southern  Baptists.  This 
matter  was,  at  this  time,  engaging  the  attention  of  Baptist 
bodies,  local  and  general,  throughout  the  South,  and  in  the 
prevailing  sentiment  the  Baptists  of  Texas  shared.  This 
lent  additional  friction  to  the  hosts  assembled  at  San  An- 
tonio. The  majority  of  the  Convention  was  pronounced 
against  Doctor  Whitsitt,  and  expression  was  given  to  their 
views  in  a  series  of  resolutions.  The  matter  of  challenges 
of  messengers  was  one  of  absorbing  interest  and  monopo- 
lized much  of  the  first  period  of  the  body. 

In  the  opinion  of  .many  the  time  had  come  for  positive 
and  decisive  action.  The  error  of  a  year  ago  at  Houston 
was  not  to  be  committed  over  again.  To  temporize  further 
with  a  condition  which  must  wreck  the  Convention  unless 
opportunely  met,  would  be  recreancy  to  the  highest  claims 
of  duty.  At  its  best  the  present  situation  must  result  in 
mortification  to  the  Convention,  and  not  to  rise  to  the  height 
of  the  demand  would  be  a  base  lack  of  even  ordinary  cour- 
age and  a  mistaken  interpretation  of  Christian  forbearance. 
For  themselves  noble  men  were  willing  to  face  any  conse- 
quences ;  but  for  a  sacred  cause  of  which  they  were  the 
temporary  guardians,  and  the  care  of  which  imposed  a 
burden  of  responsibility,  they  were  jiot  the  men  tamely  to 
submit  to  a  condition  which  demanded  the  surrender  of 
such  a  trust.  A  crisis  was  upon  them  and  there  was  noth- 
ing left  but  to  meet  it.  They  stopped  not  to  measure  per- 
sonal consequences ;  to  these  they  were,  in  a  measure,  indif- 


394  HISTORY    OF    TP]XAS    BAPTISTS 

ferent,  but  the  present  cause,  a  cause  dearer  than  life,  in- 
spired them  to  the  full  height  of  a  strenuous  demand,  and 
they  were  ready  to  face  the  issue  as  philosophers,  as  mar- 
tyrs, as  Christian  men. 

In  that  same  city  sixty  years  before,  in  an  (jld  citadel, 
now  renowned  in  historic  annals,  a  body  of  men  had  per- 
ished, and  from  the  soil  of  their  fertile  ashes  had  sprung 
an  empire  which  was  born  under  the  inspiring  notes  of  the 
battle  cry  of  freedom.  This  heroic  event  of  the  massacre 
of  the  Alamo  would  be  a  lingering  note  of  stimulation  to 
all  the  generations  of  Texans  who  should  come  after.  Not 
otherwise  were  these  men,  whose  hearts  were  burdened  by 
a  sacred  cause,  impelled  by  a  desire  to  preserve  and  to  per- 
■  petuate  it  to  the  future  as  it  had  been  bequeathed  to  them 
])y  the  past.  The  scene  in  the  Baptist  General  Convention 
at  this  time  was  not  so  spectacular  as  was  that  of  the  Alamo, 
but  its  results  were  vast  in  their  reach,  and  eternal  in  their 
duration.  On  a  single  issue  turned  the  situation,  as  Doctor 
Gambrell  says  in  his  "Evolution  of  the  Texas  Situation," 
and  it  was  the  one  named  by  Doctor  Hayden,  who  himself 
said :  "The  cause  of  our  troubles  is  newspaper  competi- 
tion."' By  a  combination  of  conditions  forces  had  been 
marshaled  under  no  higher  pretext  than  that  to  hinder  and 
divert  a  great  evangelical  agency,  the. history  of  which  had 
been  phenomenal,  and  the  future  of  which  was  fraught  with 
results,  and  the  wholesomeness  of  which  defied  computation. 
The  pettiness  of  the  contention,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
profound  sacredness  of  it  on  the  other,  made  even  the  weak 
strong  in  the  face  of  a  frowning  menace. 

The  issue  was  fairly  joined  when  Deacon  L.  ]\I.  Mays, 
formerly  a  vice  president  of  the  Convention,  and  now  a  mes- 
senger from  the  Austin  Association,  arose  and  openly  chal- 
lenged the  right  of  S.  A.  Hayden  to  a  seat  in  the  body.  Mr. 
Mays  presented  a  series  of  charges  in  which  was  alleged 
that  Doctor  Hayden  had  repeatedly  violated  the  constitution 
of  the  Convention  "by  a  ceaseless  and  hurtful  war  upon 
the  plans,  policies,  work  and  workers  of  this  Convention, 
thus  misusing  his  privilege  as  a  member,,  and  instead  of 
harmony,  producing  discord,  contention,  strife  and  animosi- 
ties, which  has  resulted  in  serious  and  permanent  injury  to 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  395 

the  work  undertaken  by  the  Convention,  and  which  has 
rendered  him  utterly  unworthy  of  membership  in  this  Con- 
vention." Hayden  was  further  charged  with  open  and 
notorious  opposition  to  the  Convention  and  its  mandates. 
The  charges  still  continued  to  assert  that  he  had  disre- 
garded the  censure  and  condemnation  of  his  course  in  the 
preceding  Convention.  He  had  ceaselessly  attacked  a  for- 
mer secretary  of  the  Convention  on  the  basis  of  the  inac- 
curacy of  the  report  of  the  ex-secretary,  notwithstanding 
that  the  report  had  been  audited  by  the  Board  and  passed 
on  by  the  Convention.  Still  Mr.  Mays  alleged  that  Hayden 
had  falsely  accused  the  secretary  of  missions  and  the  Board 
of  Directors  by  charging  them  with  a  misuse  of  the  funds 
entrusted  to  their  care.  He  had  bred  strife  and  dissension 
among  the  brethren  and  associations,  all  of  which  proved 
him  to  be  an  incorrigible  foe  to  the  whole  organization  and 
work  of  the  Convention.*  This  was  followed  by  a  stormy 
scene,  in  which  Doctor  Hayden  defended  his  course  and 
asserted  his  right  to  criticise  as  he  had  occasion.  He  was 
responded  to  by  Judge  W.  H.  Jenkins,  who  carefully  re- 
viewed the  whole  situation,  after  which  a  vote  was  taken 
on  the  question  of  allowing  Hayden  a  seat  in  the  Conven- 
tion, which  resulted  in  104  favoring  it  and  582  against  it. 

A  challenge  was  presented  by  Rev.  D.  S.  Snodgrass 
against  the  seating  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Cranfill,  but  the  evidence 
presented  was  of  a  purely  personal  character  and  did  not  in 
any  way  affect  the  right  of  Cranfill  to  a  seat  in  the  body. 
These  obstructions  being  out  of  the  way,  and  once  in  the 
current  of  routine  business,  the  Convention  proceeded  with 
its  usual  work.  While  the  difficulties  of  the  past  year  had 
been  serious  and  numerous,  the  work  had  prospered,  and 
by  the  fidelity  shown,  indicated  its  ability  to  go  onward  with 
increased  assurance  and  in  spite  of  obstruction.  More  than 
the  ordinary  amount  of  work  had  been  done  by  sixty-six 
missionaries  during  the  year  just  closed,  their  salaries  had 
been  duly  paid,  and  there  was  a  balance  in  the  treasury.  The 
schools  at  Waco  and  Belton  had  enjoyed  successful  sessions. 


*Proceedings  or  Minutes  of  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of 
Texas  for  the  year  1897. 


396 


HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 


the  Orphans'  Home  was  growing,  the  missionary  spirit  was 
deepening  and  widening  among  the  churches,  and  the  out- 
look of  the  cause  generally  was  promising. 

A  new  era  had  come  to  the  educational  life  of  the  de- 
nomination. Colonel  C.  C.  vSlaughter  had  conceived  the 
idea  of  the  confederation  of  the  Uaptist  schools  in  Texas, 


UEV.    D.    It.    I'EVUTU,    HOUSTON,    TKXAS. 


and  this  was  the  knife  that  cut  the  gordian  knot  of  difficulty 
in  the  effort  to  utilize  all  the  educational  forces  of  the  state. 
Certain  of  the  schools  were  involved  in  debt  and  were 
destined  to  remain  so  unless  help  were  afforded  and  by 
bringing  these  schools  under  the  fostering  care  of  the  de- 
nomination as  a  whole,  relieving  them  of  debt  and  direct- 
ing them  under  a  common  body,  they  could  be  made  sup- 
plemental each  to  the  other  and  contributory  to  the  two 
great  schools  for  the  sexes.  To  give  impulse  to  this  move- 
ment Colonel  Slaughter  gave  $25,000,  which  was  followed 
by  gifts  from  others,  and  led  to  the  establishment  of  the 
Baptist  Education  Commission. 


THE    COMBAT    DEEPENS  397 

An  effort  was  made  to  inject  fresh  trouble  into  the  Con- 
vention at  San  Antonio  by  seeking  to  set  aside  the  action  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Baylor  University  relative  to  the 
retirement  of  Doctor  Burleson  from  the  presidency  of  that 
school,  but  the  Convention  approved  the  action  of  the 
Board  in  making  him  president  emeritus  with  a  salary  of 
$2,000  annually.  The  occasion  was  signalized  by  the  ven- 
erable educator  publicly  accepting  the  result  of  the  decision 
of  the  Board,  and  of  the  Convention,  and  by  promising  to 
live  in  peace  with  them  to  the  end  of  his  life.  It  was  an 
affecting  scene  when  Doctor  Burleson  embraced  Doctor 
Buckner,  and  both  wept  before  the  body.  It  was  a  rapturous 
hour  to  the  body  when  this  occurred,  and  largely  atoned  for 
the  unseemly  disorder  which  had  come  to  the  Convention 
from  another  source. 

Among  the  dead  of  the  year  was  the  venerable  G.  W. 
Pickett,  who  had  preached  for  fifty  years,  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  missionaries  of  Texas,  and  was  about  seventy  years 
old  when  he  died.  He  is  buried  at  Richmond,  Texas.  Dr. 
J.  Morgan  Wells,  the  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Fort 
Worth  also,  was  numbered  this  year  among  the  dead.  He 
had  done  a  phenomenal  work  at  Fort  Worth,  building  a 
magnificent  house  of  worship,  and  establishing  the  Baptist 
cause  in  that  city  on  a  lasting  basis.  His  church  buried 
him  under  the  walls  of  the  magnificent  structure  which  he 
had  reared,  and  placed  a  memorial  window  bearing  his  por- 
trait in  one  of  the  windows  above  his  grave. 

With  the  Convention  held  at  San  Antonio  the  hour  of 
destiny  had  struck  for  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  The  Conven- 
tion was  another  landing-place  on  the  stairway  of  progress. 
Among  the  epochs  of  the  Baptist  history  of  Texas  this  was 
the  most  marked.  That  toward  which  the  Baptists  of  Texas 
had  been  moving  through  the  eventful  years  of  the  past 
had  been  reached.  The  hosts  were  now  serried.  The  fur- 
nace of  affliction  and  the  repeated  blows  had  welded  them 
into  invincible  compactness.  They  were  now  ready  to  take 
up  a  fresh  line  of  march,  and  were  strong  with  united  front 
to  meet  the  shocks  of  the  future,  whatever  they  might  be. 
The  shock  of  disorder  which  they  had  met  failed  of  its 
purpose,  and  had  rather  turned  out  to  the  glory  of  God. 


398  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Tlic  coliorts  of  God's  people  had  been  fused  into  marvelous 
unity,  while  the  discontented  elements  would  be  shaken  off 
by  the  agitation,  each  going-  its  own  way.  It  were  infinitely 
better  that  the  incoherent  elements  slough  off  and  leave  the 
great  body  to  move  on  the  even  tenor  of  its  way.  Hence- 
forth it  would  be  more  difficult  to  introduce  trouble  into  the 
Jiaptist  (General  Convention  of  Texas.  Men  had  become 
wiser  under  the  stress  of  agitation.  Consolidated  into  for- 
midableness,  with  wisdom  ripened  by  painful  experience, 
there  was  born  a  sturdy  and  resistless  resolve  to  rescue  the 
denomination  from  the  disrepute  into  which  it  had  been 
dragged  against  its  will. 

The  horizon  of  the  future  was  brightened  as  men  and 
women  turned  their  faces  homeward  from  the  memorable 
Convention  which  had  just  been  held  in  the  historic  city 
of  San  Antonio. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

COURTS  AND   CHURCHES. 

Enlarged  plans  were  at  once  projected  by  the  Baptists 
of  the  State.  The  convention  at  San  Antonio  had  revealed 
the  power  of  the  people  called  Baptists,  and  they  were  deter- 
mined to  seize  on  the  opportunity  afforded  by  Providence 
for  a  new  start  in  the  history  of  denominational  progress. 
Never  was  there  such  a  demand  for  a  wise,  careful  and 
conservative  leadership.  Never  had  a  denomination  a  more 
excellent  opportunity  for  accomplishing  great  things  for 
God.  Never  were  men  more  impressed  by  favorable  condi- 
tions. 

When  the  Board  of  Directors  met  at  Dallas  it  was  a 
profoundly  thoughtful  and  devotional  meeting.  No  boasts 
were  heard,  no  threats  indulged  in,  great  as  the  provocation 
had  been,  and  still  was,  but  rather  it  was  a  meeting  of 
unctuous  devotion  and  of  humble  thankfulness  to  God. 
Men  were  scarred  with  the  conflicts  which  they  could  not 
avoid,  but  they  thanked  God  and  took  courage.  They  were 
children  in  dependence  for  wisdom  and  guidance,  but  men 
in  consecrated  stoutness  and  bravery.  With  spiritual  vision 
they  read  the  signs  of  the  times.  It  was  not  a  meeting  of 
perfunctory  haste,  but  one  of  solemn  deliberation.  Men 
were  much  in  prayer.  The  atmosphere  of  devotion  encom- 
passed them  within  and  without.  With  solemn  and  delib- 
erate wisdom  they  addressed  themselves  to  the  issues  of  the 
hour.  A  turning-point  in  the  life  of  the  denomination  had 
come  and  they  had  the  eyes  to  see  it  and  the  hearts  to 
respond.  Grave  as  the  issues  were,  still  graver  and  more 
complexing  ones  awaited  them.  In  the  strength  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  they  arose  from  the  bowed  knee  of  prayer 
with  a  desire  to  know  God's  will,  and  with  undaunted  reso- 
lutions of  performance. 

399 


400  HISTORY    OF    TKXAS    BAPTISTS 

It  was  a  mccliniT;  of  singular  unanimity.  Divergent 
views  were  expressed,  but  unity  w:as  reached,  and  such  a 
unity  as  gave  unanimous  satisfaction.  It  was  more  hke 
an  old-fashioned  prayer  meeting  than  that  of  a  deliberative 
body,  met  to  do  great  business.  Two  great  interests  claimed 
their  attention — missions  and  education.  Under  existing 
conditions,  new  plans  had  to  be  adjusted  to  new  policies. 
Trouble  still  encompassed  them,  but  experience  had  made 
them  strong  and  wise.  They  felt  that  they  had  fenced  them- 
selves about  with  a  cordon  of  protection  against  harass- 
ment, and  were  serene  in  faith  and  hopeful  in  heart. 

Construction  was  the  logical  policy  of  the  hour.  To 
get  the  forces  and  resources  well  in  hand,  and  moulded  in 
form,  was  a  tremendous  undertaking ;  but  Providence  had 
sounded  the  note,  and  with  exultant  hearts  they  moved  to- 
ward the  future,  seeking  to  keep  step  to  the  voice  of  God.  The 
assaults  of  Doctor  Hayden  were  renewed  with  intense  vio- 
lence, and  responded  to  in  the  columns  of  The  Baptist 
Standard  with  equal  vigor.  Unusual  efforts  were  made 
by  Doctor  Hayden  to  extend  the  circulation  of  the  Texas 
Baptist  and  Herald,  w'hich  was  equaled  by  a  correspond- 
ing effort  on  the  part  of  the  Texas  Baptist  Standard. 
Representing  the  convention.  Doctor  Cranfill  felt  that  the 
attacks  made  by  the  rival  paper  should  be  squarely  met. 

In  this  fierce  contest,  and  in  the  years  that  followed,  far 
beyond  the  boundary  of  the  old  century.  Doctor  Cranfill 
rendered  a  service  to  the  Baptists  of  Texas  second  to 
none  ever  before  rendered  by  any  man.  He  stood  in 
the  breach  with  his  facile  pen,  and  while  he  parried  the 
blows  leveled  at  the  heart  of  the  denomination,  he  met 
the  demand  of  the  time  by  making  TJie  Standard  one  of  the 
greatest  of  denominational  organs.  To.  unusual  editorial 
ability  were  added  facilities  for  gathering  denominational 
news,  and  for  a  wide  dissemination  of  the  Baptist  organ, 
without  which  the  denomination  could  not  have  advanced. 
The  man  and  tiie  hour  met  when  J.  B.  Cranfill  was  brought 
to  the  editorial  management  and  direction  of  the  paper. 
To  him  the  denomination  is  under  perpetual  gratitude  and 
obligation  for  the  service  rendered  during  a  critical  period, 
when  the  w^ork  done  by  him  was  indispensable. 


COURTS    AND   CHURCHES  4ui 

The  strength  of  Tlic  Baptist  Standard  was  vastly  en- 
hanced when  it  was  removed  to  Dallas,  in  1898,  and  when 
Colonel  C.  C.  Slaughter  hecame  associated  with  Doctor 
Cranfill  in  the  proprietorshij)  of  the  paper.  In  its  new 
location  it  underwent  a  decided  change.  It  was  determined 
to  withhold  from  the  columns  of  The  Standard  any  allusion 
to  the  opposing  journal,  or  to  the  opponents  themselves, 
as  they  were  arrayed  against  the  w'ork  of  the  Convention. 
This  meant  increased  dignity  and  popularity  to  The  Stand- 
ard, which  popularity  was  shown  in  other  states,  where  its 
patrons  were  multiplied. 

The  year  1898  was  an  exceedingly  active  one.  The 
work  was  pressed  and  stressed  at  every  point.  The  Educa- 
tion Commission,  which  had  been  created  in  compliance 
with  the  necessities  of  the  changed  educational  policy  of 
the  Convention,  was  laying  vast  plans  for  the  development 
of  that  branch  of  activity.  J.  B.  Gambrell  was  made  the 
president  of  the  Commission,  and  J.  M.  Carroll  financial 
secretary.  The  policy  was  to  rid  the  colleges  of  debt, 
and  to  make  them  centers  of  commanding  influence  in  the 
regions  of  the  state  in  which  they  were  located.  The  coun- 
try was  prosperous,  many  Baptists  had  become  compara- 
tively wealthy,  thousands  were  well-to-do,  the  institutions 
were  in  need  of  facilities,  and  thus  a  wide  sphere  was 
opened  to  the  Education  Commission.  The  chief  agency 
of  the  Texas  Baptists  was  being  gradually  strengthened  for 
more  comprehensive  work,  and  was  gaining  its  way  rapidly 
to  the  hearts  of  the  churches.  Attacked  though  it  was, 
and  derided  and  otherwise  obstructed,  by  the  Texas  Bap- 
tist and  Herald,  the  Board  pursued  its  way  regardless  of 
this,  and  by  means  of  its  vigor  gave  spirit  and  encourage- 
ment to  all  kindred  interests.  The  policy  w^as  a  pronounced 
one,  and  in  the  face  of  opposition  continued  to  be  pressed. 
The  attacks  so  often  made  on  the  imwise  expenditure  of 
money  did  not  deter  the  Board  from  the  employment  of 
such  agencies  as  w^ere  needed  to  prosecute  its  W'ork  with 
success,  but  steadily  held  itself  in  the  confidence  of  the 
denomination  while  thus  engaged.  As  the  Board  was  made 
the  special  object  of  the  attack,  the  Missionary  Worker 
was   published   by   it,   to   give    information    relative   to   the 


402  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS   BAPTISTS 

work  witliin  and  without  the  Board,  and  to  repel  the  gross 
misrepresentations  made  concerning  this  work.*  Nor  was 
this  pohcy  of  repulsion  without  desired  results. 

From  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the  conventional 
year  of  1898,  the  work  was  one  of  solidification  and  unifica- 
tion. The  Sunday  ^School  and  Colix)rtage  Convention, 
which  was  still  acting  as  an  independent  body,  holding  its 
meetings  annually;  the  Women  Workers,  which  had  be- 
come a  strong,  organized  force,  and  the  Baptist  Young  Peo- 
ples' Union,  which  was  steadily  and  solidly  growing,  were 
in  thorough  accord,  and  in  unity  of  action  with  the  State 
Board  and  its  policy.  The  white  heat  of  opposition  was 
welding  the  forces  into  compact  efficiency. 

Not  least  among  the  favorable  signs  of  the  period  was 
that  of  the  activity  of  the  churches  in  the  rural  regions. 
The  hearts  of  pastors  and  the  godly  laymen  were  touched 
by  the  conviction  and  purpose  of  the  men  at  the  front 
of  denominational  afifairs,  and  with  commendable  alacrit\- 
they  fell  into  the  advancing  columns.  Pastors  of  humble 
charges  had  come  to  see  that  they  were  an  important  part 
of  the  great  work  which  was  yet  in  its  incipiency. 

The  Bible  School  at  Baylor  University  was  coming  to 
be  a  mighty  force  in  solving  the  problem  into  which  the 
denomination  had  been  brought.  From  throughout  the 
state  pastors  and  churches,  small  and  great,  to  the  number 
of  more  than  a  hundred,  would  come  together  for  a  month 
at  the  University,  and  besides  the  information  gained,  and 
the  instruction  imparted,  they  derived  vast  advantage  from 
contact  with  each  other,  and  each  returned  to  his  field  a 
stronger  and  more  determined  man. 

While  The  Baptist  Standard  was  training,  developing 
and  leading  the  way,  as  a  great  denominational  organ,  the 
Missionary  Worker,  published  by  the  Board,  unflinchingly 
parried  the  blows  aimed  at  it,  and  gave  a  frank  insight 
into  its  operations.  One  hundred  and  twenty-two  mis- 
sionaries, and  missionary  pastors,  were  in  the  employment 
of  the  Board  during  the  year.     These  valuable  allies,  scat- 


*Procee(lings  of  the  Baptist  General    Conventiou    of    Texas    for 
1898,  p.   35. 


COURTS   AND  CHURCHES  403 

tered  throughout  the  state,  and  brought  into  constant  con- 
nection with  the  Board,  gave  a  vivifying  effect  to  its  opera- 
tions. It  was  a  season  of  general  helpfulness,  the  weak 
assisted  the  strong  where  needed,  with  the  spirit  of  cheer- 
fulness and  love.  Most  of  the  cities  of  Texas  were  Bap- 
tist strongholds,  and  indeed  it  was  the  exception  when  this 
was  not  the  case.  The  points  which  needed  reinforcement 
received  it.  Though  southern  Texas  was  first  to  be  strongly 
occupied  by  the  Baptists,  it  had,  through  the  years,  fallen 
behind  the  other  parts  of  the  state  represented  by  the 
cardinal  points  of  the  compass.  The  diversified  soils  and 
timber  districts  of  eastern  Texas  were  an  inducement  to  one 
class  of  population ;  the  fertile  lands  of  northern  and  central 
Texas,  an  inducement  to  another  class ;  the  cheap  lands  and 
equitableness  of  climate  found  in  western  Texas,  enhanced 
that  region  in  valuation,  while  southern  Texas  was  regarded 
as  depressed  in  altitude  and  unhealthful,  while  the  lands 
were  not  regarded  as  particularly  fertile.  But  now  the 
population  had  turned  southward.  Houston  was  being 
called  the  "Chicago  of  the  Southwest,"  and  its  numerous 
railway  lines  gave  it  vast  advantage.  Galveston  was  re- 
garded the  most  cultured  of  Texas  cities,  and  its  superb 
harbor  and  other  advantages  made  it,  for  many  reasons, 
an  attractive  city.  Then  the  advantage  of  soil  and  climate 
for  fruit  productiveness,  and  rice  and  sugar  cane ;  its  at- 
tractive coast  line,  for  resorts  for  all  seasons,  and  its  fish 
and  oyster  trade — all  these  served  to  turn  another  class  of 
population  to  the  southern  end  of  the  state  where  industries, 
orchards,  farms,  villages  and  towns  were  becoming  numer- 
ous. Hither  much  attention  was  directed  by  the  State 
Board,  and  there  was  a  revival  in  a  long  suspended  interest 
in  behalf  of  southern  Texas.  Neither  in  Houston  nor  in 
Galveston  were  the  churches  strong  or  active.  The  cities 
were  growing,  but  the  Baptist  cause  was  at  a  standstill. 
To  incite  renewed  energy  in  these  populous  centers,  and  to 
encourage  city  evangelization,  was  one  of  the  purposes  of 
the  Board.  This  was  especially  proper  now,  since  there 
was  abroad  a  mistaken  idea  of  missions,  and  since  there 
was  sought  to  be  taught  a  perversion  of  the  doctrine  of 
church  sovereignty. 


40J:  IllSTOlx'V    OF    'IKAAS    IJAI'TIS'I'S 

'llicii,  too,  forcii^ners  from  luin)])e  and  fniin  regions 
fnrllier  east,  were  coming  In-  tliousands  to  Texas — Swedes, 
( iermans,  Jtalians,  nohemians,  Syrians,  Japanese  and  Chi- 
nese, while  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Mexicans  were  seek- 
ing homes  in  Texas — these  could  not  he  disregarded  by  an 
agency  such  as  the  State  Uoard  is.  To  seize  the  tirgent 
advantages  was  supremely  important. 

Jiut  obstructions  contimied.  Some  time  suhsecjuent  to 
the  San  Antonio  convention.  Doctor  S.  A.  llayden  brought 
suit  in  the  Dallas  courts  against  more  than  thirty  members 
of  the  Convention,  some  of  whom  were  present  at  San 
Antonio,  and  others  of  whom  were  not.  The  action  came  to 
be  called  by  Doctor  Hayden  "The  Conspiracy  Trial."  In 
his  original  bill  of  complaint  there  was  affirmed  the  right 
of  Doctor  Hayden  to  a  seat  in  the  Convention  which  was 
denied  him,  and  that  he  had  been  ejected.  This  affirmation 
was  based  on  the  fact  that  Doctor  Hayden  was  sent  to  the 
San  Antonio  Convention  by  a  body  entitled,  under  the  con- 
stitution, to  send  messengers.  Doctor  Hayden  appealed  to 
the  Civil  Court  to  correct  the  wrong-  which  he  alleged  had 
been  done  him  by  the  Convention.  It  is  clear  that  the  suit 
contemplated,  with  bold  effort,  to  subject  the  Baptist  Gen- 
eral Convention  of  Texas,  as  to  its  menibership,  to  the 
supervision  of  civil  tribunals.  The  attempt  to  make  the 
action  of  rejection  by  the  Convention  the  result  of  a  con- 
spiracy, w'as  a  signal  failure,  and  the  suit  was  thenceforth 
based  on  the  question  of  the  right  of  the  Convention  to  deny 
Doctor  Hayden  a  seat. 

Without  any  purpose  to  follow  this  painful  and  humiliat- 
ing chapter  in  church  history  through  its  varying  phases, 
which  extended  through  several  years,  it  should  be  stated 
that  the  ailjudication  of  the  case  by  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Texas,  relative  to  the  matter  of  denying  the  right  of  Doctor 
Hayden  to  a  seat  in  the  Convention,  was  a  correct  one, 
and  one  that  touches  the  vital  existence  of  religious  organi- 
zations in  their  relation  to  the  civil  courts  of  the  country. 
The  proposition  of  the  learned  judges  was  that  the  right 
of  the  Convention  to  regulate  its  own  membership  was 
inherent. 

This    protracted    trial    was    exceedingly    unfortunate    in 


COURTS    AND    CHURCHES  405 

its  effect  upon  the  public  mind.  If  there  ever  was  a  time 
when  such  a  suit  could  have  been  more  unfavorable  than 
another,  this  was  the  time.  Pecuhar  conditions  were  pre- 
vaiHng-  in  Texas.  The  growth  of  the  population  was  not 
slow,  not  even  steady — it  was  phenomenal.  Had  the  popu- 
lous growth  been  gradual,  as  it  had  been  in.  most  other 
states  eastward,  even  under  such  conditions  as  were  at- 
tendant on  this  unfortunate  lawsuit,  the  dominant  and 
settled  sentiment  might  have  mastered  the  situation,  and 
held  it  subordinate.  But  the  conditions  were  immensely 
other  than  these.  The  new  elements  of  population  pouring 
into  Texas  represented  all  shades  and  phases  of  thought, 
socially,  politically,  morally,  religiously.  Years  would  be 
necessary  to  settle  the  dominance  of  any  one  sentiment. 
There  was  constant  collision  in  the  sentiment  of  the  public. 
All  sorts  of  views  were  being  published  and  promulgated  in 
everv  sort  of  journal  and  book.  It  was  a  wilderness  of 
thought,  a  seething  caldron  of  sentiment.  If  ever  religious 
forces  were  in  need  of  coolness  and  wisdom,  and  the  sub- 
ordination of  all  things  else  to  the  one  idea  of  the  domi- 
nance of  Christianity,  the  time  was  now.  Even  with  this, 
the  religion  of  Christians  would  be  assailed  and  mis- 
represented bv  those  who  knew  it  not,  because  of  a  lack 
of  spiritual  discernment.  As  in  the  early  days  of  Chris- 
tianity, as  it  made  headway  among  divers  peoples,  the  utmost 
circumspection  was  needed — so  now  in  Texas.  Nor  were 
the  effects  of  this  unfortunate  suit  confined  solely  to  the 
denomination  among  the  members  of  which  it  was,  but  it 
was  hurtful  to  all  who  were  called  Christians.  Nor  was  it 
confined,  either,  to  the  Christians  of  Texas,  but  its  ill  effects 
went  far  beyond.  As  far  as  could  be  done,  it  served  to 
bring  the  cause  of  Christ  into  contempt,  and  to  convert  it 
into  a  hiss  and  byword  in  the  estimation  of  thousands.  The 
trial  was  more  than  unchristian  in  its  essence ;  it  was  un- 
natural in  its  very  absence  of  consistency.  Would  that  it 
could  be  possible  to  forget  it,  but  it  necessarily  becomes  a 
matter  of  history.  It  was  most  unfortunate  that  Doctor 
Hayden  seemed  delighted  to  give  widespread  and  detailed 
prominence  to  the  unfortunate  contention. 

In   ]\Tay,    1898,  when  the   Southern    baptist  Convention 


406  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

mot  at  Xorfolk,  Virginia,  many  copies  of  the  Texas  Baptist 
and  Herald  containing  assaults  on  leading  Texas  Baptists, 
were  distributed  among  the  members  of  the  Convention, 
with  no  opportunity  for  those  assailed  in  its  columns  to 
reply.  lUit  for  the  well-established  reputations  of  the  men 
so  arraigned,  they  might  have  grievously  sufifered  in  the 
judgment  of  the  representatives  from  other  states.  Through 
The  Baptist  Standard,  the  circulation  of  which  had  obtained 
in  many  states,  there  might  have  been  presented  the  oppo- 
site view  of  the  matter  offered  in  the  columns  of  the  Texas 
Baptist  and  Herald,  but  its  policy  was  to  ignore  all  that 
it  contained. 

In  1898,  Professor  B.  F.  Giles,  of  Howard  College, 
Alabama,  was  elected  president  of  the  Decatur  Baptist  Col- 
lege. This  was  what  was  originally  known  as  the  North- 
west Baptist  College.  The  school  had  lost  prestige  in  many 
ways,  and  especially  with  those  who  had  first  contributed  to 
its  creation.  Their  financial  losses  had  made  the  school 
unpopular.  At  the  first  meeting  of  the  association  to 
which  the  school  belonged,  after  the  assumption  of  the 
presidency  by  Professor  Giles,  Dr.  A.  W.  McGaha  made  a 
vigorous  plea  in  behalf  of  the  school,  and  public  confidence 
was  expressed  in  a  contribution  of  ten  cents !  The  unpopu- 
larity of  the  school  was  such  that  President  Giles  had  to  go 
to  the  Northwest  for  students.  From  146  students,  the 
first  session  of  the  administration  of  the  new  president,  the 
matriculation  rose  the  second  year  to  164.  President  Giles 
remained  but  two  years  in  the  school,  when  he  was  recalled 
to  Alabama  as  president  of  the  Central  College,  Tuska- 
loosa ;  but  during  his  stay  at  Decatur,  the  town  erected  a 
dormitory  for  boys,  and  on  the  retirement  of  President 
Giles  the  school  was  in. good  condition. 

During  the  year  1898,  Mrs.  Hollie  Harper  Townsend 
died.  The  remarkable  career  of  usefulness  of  this  young 
Chri.stian  woman  deserves  a  record  in  the  annals  of  Texas 
] baptists.  She  was  a  woman  of  singular  piety,  and  of  quiet 
but  aggressive  devotion.  Her  peculiar  gifts  and  gentleness 
of  spirit,  enabled  her  to  perform  a  varied  work  in  the  ranks 
of  the  denomination.  For  several  years  before  her  death 
she  was  a  recognized  leader  of  the  Baptist  Woman's  Mis- 


COUETS    AND   CHTJECHES  407 

sionary  Union,  in  Texas.  The  station  of  being  the  pioneer 
Bible  woman  in  Texas  is  tO  her  freely  accorded.  Always 
active  in  every  good  word  and  work,  she  was  most  success- 
ful in  the  organization  of  Children's  Bands  in  the  different 
mission  stations  of  the  First  Church  of  Dallas.  She  was 
also,  for  a  long  period,  the  editor  of  the  Woman's  Depart- 
ment in  The  Baptist  Standard. 

After  her  marriage  to  Rev.  E.  G.  Townsend  she  traveled 
with  him  through  Texas,  and  organized  woman's  mission 
societies  and  Children's  Bands.  She  was  popular  at  the 
sessions  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  by  reason  of 
her  peculiar  ability,  and  her  unceasing  love  of  the  work 
for  the  Master.     She  died  at  Dallas  on  August  25,  1898. 

On  October  7,  1898,  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of 
Texas,  being  its  fiftieth  annual  session,  met  at  Waco.  The 
large  assemblage  of  the  year  before,  and  the  consequent 
extensive  interest  in  matters  which  had  become  notorious, 
brought  together  an  overwhelming  number  of  people,  not  of 
messengers  only,  but  of  many  others.  The  experience  of 
the  body  at  San  Antonio,  and  the  agitation  which  had  pre- 
vailed during  the  year,  suggested  the  precaution  of  a  large 
and  wise  Committee  on  Credentials.  On  this  important 
committee  was  placed  Rev.  A.  B.  Vaughn,  a  recent  and 
valuable  accession  to  the  ranks  of  the  Baptist  ministry  of 
Texas.  He  had  been  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church 
at  Nacogdoches  by  reason  of  his  pastoral  reputation  in 
his  native  state,  Georgia.  The  Convention  proceeded  with 
the  utmost  care  toward  organization,  so  as  to  prevent  com- 
plications. Rev.  W.  M.  Harris,  pastor  of  the  First  Church, 
Galveston,  preached  a  timely  and  appropriate  sermon  from 
the  text :  "Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send  peace  on 
earth ;  I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword."  "On  earth, 
peace." 

It  was  not  till  the  second  day  of  the  proceedings  that 
the  Committee  on  Credentials  was  prepared  to  report.  A 
number  of  cliallenges  was  presented  against  churches,  but 
the  president  ruled  all  out  of  order  that  did  not  relate  to 
individuals,  as  the  body  was  composed,  not  of  churches, 
but  of  personal  messengers.  A  motion  prevailed  to  admit 
to  seats,  as  a  basis  of  organization,  all  unchallenged  mes- 


408  HISTOHV    OP    THXAS     iiAI'TISTS 

sengers,  when  the  bod)-  was  ori^anized  by  the  election  of 
R.  C.  Buckner.  president;  J.  M.  Robertson,  W.  R.  Max- 
well, and  A.  J.  Rose,  vice  presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and 
J.  11.  Truett.  secretaries. 

Immediately  followinii-  this  was  a  challeno^e  made  by 
Rev.  (  ).  \\  Stark  to  the  ri.nht  of  Dr.  S.  A.  Hayden  to  a 
seat  in  the  body.  The  challenge  eml)raced  a  series  of 
charges  of  a  serious  character,  together  with  accompanying 
proof  of  each  respective  charge.* 

In  response  to  this.  Doctor  Hayden  sj^oke  at  length  dur- 
ing the  afternoon  session,  in  his  defense,  to  which  reply 
was  made  by  J.  M.  Robertson,  following  which  the  Con- 
vention sustained  the  challenge,  and  proceeded  forthwith 
to  business.  The  reports  from  the  ditTerent  departments 
were  encouraging,  and  served  to  remove  the  tension  into 
which  the  Convention  had  been  brought  by  the  challenge 
of  Doctor  Hayden,  and  the  speeches  which  f (allowed. 

The  Education  Commissiim  had  done  well  and  had 
aroused  enthusiasm  by  its  result,  j.  M.  Carroll,  assisted  by 
J.  M.  Robertson,  had  procured  j^ledges  aggregating  $53,200 
for  educational  purposes.  The  chief  interest  centered  in 
reading  the  report  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  work 
of  the  year.  Reviewing  the  situation  of  the  year,  the  report 
showed  that  all  interests  nourished  by  the  Convention  were 
in  the  ascendant,  and  while  the  work  was  but  fairly  begun, 
the  success  of  the  past  year  was  a  guarantee  of  future 
victory.  In  addition  to  a  statement  of  the  results  of  the 
I)oard,  in  its  diversified  relations,  the  report  was  a  denomi- 
national deliverance  on  the  fundamental  principles  embodied 
in  its  policv.  All  branches  of  the  work  were  in  a  healthy 
condition,  and  the  I'.oard  was  gaining  most  substantial  head- 
way. 

The  Convention  at  Waco,  in  1898.  marked  a  long  denom- 
inational stride.  The  visible  results  were  not  so  encourag- 
ing as  those  of  which  the  Convention  itself  was  a  prophecy. 
There  could  be  no  mistake  of  the  coming  ground-swell. 
Everything  indicated  it.     There  was  the  rosy  flush  of  pros- 


*Prococ<lings    of    tlio    Rjiptist    (icurrMl    ('(invent  imi    of    Texas    for 
1898,  pp.  11-24. 


COURTS    AND    CHURCHES  40!) 

perity  on  every  interest  and  institution,  and  there  was  the 
assurance  of  their  future  and  progressive  maintenance.  A 
strongs  ministry  in  the  lead  of  a  strong  and  loyal  member- 
ship meant  all  that  was  necessary  for  future  success  on 
the  human  side.  But  when  this  great  body  of  Christians  was 
humbled,  and  more  devout,  because  of  what  they  had  been 
able  to  do ;  when  they  were  prayerful  rather  than  boastful 
over  the  victory  against  wrong,  the  prospect  was  bright- 
ened as  they  faced  it. 

The  unification  of  interests  at  this  jmicture  of  1  baptist 
history  in  Texas  was  most  fortunate.  The  rainbow  was 
on  the  receding  cloud,  which  had  for  several  years  together 
cast  a  pall  over  the  cause  in  the  state.  But  as  winter 
hardens  and  toughens  the  fiber  of  the  tree,  so  the  afflic- 
tions of  these  years  had  made  sturdier  the  characters  of 
the  men  and  wc:)men  who  were  oppressed  by  an  overween- 
ing desire  to  bring  the  lost  thousands  to  Christ.  The  light 
was  following  the  night,  and  already  God  was  interpreting 
the  dark  providences  to  which  His  people  had  come  in  the 
years  of  the  immediate  past.  Affiictions  yet  awaited  them, 
but  in  the  strength  of  God  they  set  up  their  banners,  and 
in  the  might  of  God  they  believed  that  they  would  prevail. 
More  than  ever  before,  the  dene  )minatit)n  was  a  substantial 
and  not  a  nominal  luiit. 

The  following  year  was  destined  to  bring  its  troubles, 
not  a  few,  arising  from  the  perplexing  lawsuit  against  many 
of  the  file  leaders  of  the  denomination,  but  set  over  against 
these  were  compensations  which  vastly  outweighed  the 
affliction.  So  far  from  being  deterred  by  carping  criticism  of 
motive  and  method,  the  managers  of  the  varied  interests 
were  emboldened,  rather.  Affliction  evoked  prayer,  and 
prayer  provoked  courage  and  confidence.  There  was  no 
ease  in  the  Baptist  Zion.  No  sinecure  positions  were  to  be 
had  in 'any  Baptist  station  in  Texas.  It  was  a  period  of 
activity  throughout  every  day  of  every  month.  Every  man 
provoked  every  other  to  good  works. 

The  State  Board  met  a  few  weeks  after  the  Convention 
at  Waco,  and  hours  were  given  to  rapt  devotion.  Men  had 
evidently  come  from  their  closets  of  prayer  to  the  meeting. 
There  was  no  exultation,  no  exaltation,  save  of  God.     The 


410 


IIISTOin'    OF    TKXAS    BAPTISTS 


utmost  freedom  prevailed.  Members  fn^ii  tlie  pew  were 
as  free  of  expression  as  preachers  from  the  pulpit.  To  have 
happened  incidentally  into  a  business  meetinj:;^  of  a  body  of 
men  who  had  come  from  regions  adjacent  and  remote,  one 
would  have  thought  that  he  was  in  a  devoti(jnal  meeting. 
Prayer  was  frequent,  and  in  praying  men  spoke  with  a  con- 


ui:.    .1.    \. 


riUOSTIMIKJE,     I,OT'IS\II.I.K. 
Kditor  I'.aptist  Argus. 


KV.. 


sciousness  of  being  in  the  presence  of  Jehovah.  Their 
prayers  were  face  to  face  talks  with  God.  It  was  a  repre- 
sentative 1x)dy — representative  of  every  phase  and  feature 
of  the  denomination.  Men  who  had  grown  hoary  in  the 
war  and  work  of  many  years ;  young  men  with  the  dew  of 
youth  on  their  brows,  and  with  a  Hash  of  enthusiasm  in 


COUETS    AND    CHUECHES  411 

their  eyes;  ministers  of  high  station  and  of  national  re- 
nown ;  country  preachers  from  the  far  interior ;  men  ahke 
from  the  cities  and  from  the  plain ;  lawyers,  merchants, 
bankers,  ministers,  teachers,  authors,  editors,  statesmen — 
all  these  were  in  the  forty  men  who  had  come  together 
impressed  with  the  responsibility  imposed  to  project  a  plan 
for  another  year's  work  for  God. 

Among  the  treasured  prayers  alluded  to  by  the  apoc- 
alyptic writer,  were  added  those  of  this  eventful  gathering 
of  a  body  of  men  grouped  together  in  a  meeting  house  at 
Dallas,  Texas.  The  work  was  marred  by  no  precipitate 
haste,  by  no  waste  of  speech.  jMen  spoke  solemnly  and 
deliberately.  The  fact  was  recognized  that  a  tremendous 
element  had  come  into  the  state  work,  one  for  which  pre- 
vious conditions  had  prepared  the  way.  Education  must 
henceforth  have  a  large  place  in  the  denominational  mind. 
Stepping  forth  on  the  platform  of  eternal  promises,  these 
devoted  men  ventured  into  the  future  with  commendable 
confidence  in  God.  Heretofore  only  three  general  mission- 
aries had  been  employed.  The  demand  was  for  four  the  next 
year.  Increased  work  meant  an  increased  appropriation,  and 
therefore  $30,000  was  named  as  the  amount  to  be  devoted  to 
that  work.  None  of  it  was  yet  visible,  but  that  it  would  come, 
there  was  no  doubt.  Plans  were  methodical  and  elaborate. 
It  was  the  result  of  a  campaign  wrought  out  in  thought  and 
adjusted  to  existing  conditions.  First,  the  frontier  work 
of  the  state  must  have  prompt  and  substantial  attention. 
From  the  upper  Panhandle  down  the  western  confines  of 
the  state  to  El  Paso,  thence  along  the  Rio  Grande,  and  along 
the  southern  coast,  from  Laredo  on  the  west  to  Orange 
on  the  east,  was  the  battle  line  of  operation  projected. 
•  Second,  to  rehabilitate  neglected  points  in  the  interior  of 
the  state — ^points  where  once  the  cause  flourished,  and  where 
it  had  been  suffered  to  decline.  Third,  to  lend  relief  to 
weak  and  struggling  churches  that  demanded  preaching  of 
good  quality,  and  which,  if  thus  supplied,  would  respond 
accordingly.  These  churches  were  to  be  found  alike  in  vil- 
lages, in  towns,  and  in  the  country.  Fourth,  a  general  work 
of  staying  the  decline  of  influential  churches,  and  of  re- 
uniting discordant  churches,  of  developing  larger  churches, 


412  HISTOEY    or    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

and  of  scckini>'  to  lift  all  churches  to  a  hii^her  plane  of  mis- 
sionary effort,  in  all  these  specific  efforts,  respect  was 
to  be  had  for  the  foreig'n  elements  in  Texas.  Doctor  Gam- 
brell,  as  the  corres])ondinf^  secretary  for  the  State  Board, 
devised  this  comprehensive  plan,  which  was  readily  adopted 
by  the  Board  a>  its  basis  (if  procedure.  The  two  years  of 
Doctor  Gambrell's  supcrintenclency  of  the  work  had  aroused 
such  confidence  in  his  ability  that  any  measure  proposed  by 
him  received  the  most  cordial  support. 

The  resumption  of  activity  on  the  part  of  the  State 
P)oard  was  confronted  by  the  well-known  opposition  which 
was  as  violent  as  it  was  active.  The  motives  of  the  Board 
were  impugned,  and  the  strongest  allegations  made  against 
its  officers  and  missionaries.''' 

This  was  promptly  and  heroically  met  in  the  columns  of 
the  Missioiuiry  H'orkcr,  which  was  edited  by  Secretary  J. 
1).  Gambrell.  Every  effort  was  made  to  bring  the  great 
l)!an.  already  indicated,  into  ])ul)lic  contempt.  This  was 
allied  with  court  proceedings,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  they 
were  made  mutually  to  aid  and  supplement  each  other.  It 
was  veritably  a  campaign  of  shame  and  humiliation. 

Still,  the  work  was  prosecuted  as  ])lanned  by  the  Board. 
Hand  in  hand,  it  proceeded  in  alliance  with  the  organized 
system  of  the  Ccjnvention.  ]\Iany  pastors  who  had  hitherto 
been  content  to  confine  themselves  to  their  respective 
spheres,  now  became  active  in  adjacent  communities,  and 
worked  with  spirit,  in  conjunction  with  the  organized  forces 
of  the  B)oard.  It  had  become  apparent  that  nothing  short 
of  living  out  of  existence,  by  godly  and  widespread  work, 
the  op])osition,  was  left  to  the  friends  of  the  Convention, 
and  the  organized  methods  of  the  Board.  The  situation 
was  accepted  with  ])hilosophic  and  Christian  fortitude,  and 
the  work  was  pushed  in  every  (piarter.  In  the  jirosecution 
of  its  ])laus  one  hundred  and  forty-nine  men  were  engaged 
in  part,  or  all  together  for  the  year  in  localities  embraced 
in  the  vast  territorv  of  Texas,  while  four  p;eneral  mission- 


*Froeep(liiigs    of    \ho   B;i|)tist    (Jciicral    (OiivtMitinn    for    1S99,    j)p. 
19-20. 


COURTS    AND   CHUECHES  413 

aries,  in  close  touch  with  the  Board,  rendered  special  serv- 
ice.    The  campaign  was  one  of  vigor  from  the  outset. 

More  than  ever  before,  the  gospel  was  preached  by  Bap- 
tists throughout  the  state.  If  the  opposition  was  persistent 
in  its  measures  to  destroy,  the  Board  was  ecjually  so  in 
building,  strengthening  and  rehabilitating.  The  people 
were  aroused  as  never  before.  The  energies  of  the  denom- 
ination were  elicited,  and  people  were  brought,  nearer  the 
gospel  conception  of  missionary  efifort,  as  the  tide  of  efifort 
and  evangelization  went  on.  Great  meetings  were  held, 
thousands  of  souls  were  saved,  vast  sacrifices  w'ere  made, 
and  the  treasury  of  the  Board  was  replenished.  The  year 
1899  was  made  memorable  in  the  history  of  Texas  Bap- 
tists. Doctor  Gambrell  led  with  splendid  generalship  the 
missionaries  on  the  field,  supported  by  as  wise  counsel  as 
any  man  ever  enjoyed.  Doctor  Cranfill,  by  manly  utter- 
ance and  wise  management  of  the  Texas  Baptist  Standard, 
rendered  a  brilliant  and  indispensable  service  in  holding  the 
forces  together.  Rev.  J.  M.  Carroll  was  in  his  proper 
sphere  as  the  financial  agent  of  the  Education  Commission. 
Order  and  harmony  were  everywhere,  save  where  the  dis- 
cordant voice  of  the  opposition  was  raised.  The  line  of 
cleavage  was  being  sharply  drawn  by  activity  and  con- 
centration on  the  one  hand,  and  opposition  and  resentment 
on  the  other.  A  just  and  calm  public  could  not  long  hesi- 
tate in  choosing  between  the  two. 

When  the  fifty-first  annual  State  Convention  was  held 
in  Dallas  in  Xovember,  1899,  it  was  a  mighty  gathering  of 
the  forces.  Baptist  sentiment  was  focused  as  never  before. 
Never  before  were  the  Baptists  of  Texas  more  possessed  of 
earnestness.  Latent  forces  had  been  aroused  and  inert 
forces  had  become  active.  The  Convention  proceeded  with 
commendable  caution.  There  was  reason  for  believing 
that  the  same  spirit  which  had  sought  to  supplant  the 
organized  work  during  the  past  year  was  here  present,  with 
what  purpose  was  not  known.  To  guard  against  errors  in 
the  beginning  was  deemed  necessary.  Such  was  the  policv 
wisdom  recommended,  srch  the  precaution,  prudence  sug- 
gested. 

The  first  precaution  was  the  appointment  by  the  presi- 


414  insTOin'    of    TKXA!^    BAPTISTS 

(lent  of  a  wise  committee  on  credentials.  The  committee 
was  composed  of  such  men  as  D.  Y.  Bagby,  G.  W.  Good, 
F.  M.  I^IcConnell,  J.  11.  Rowell,  J.  B.  Carter,  W.  S.  Splawn, 
.\.  J.  Harris,  E.  S.  Haynes  and  J.  B.  Riddle.  A  number 
of  challenges  was  submitted  to  the  committee,  which,  in  due 
time,  reported  that  its  work  was  divided  into  two  sections, 
the  first  being  that  of  a  large  list  of  unchallenged  mes- 
sengers and  a  smaller  list  of  those  challenged.  It  was 
agreed  to  make  the  list  of  those  who  were  unchallenged  the 
basis  of  the  organization  of  the  body.  Among  those  chal- 
lenged were  Drs.  R.  C.  Buckner,  J.  B.  Gambrell  and  B.  H. 
Carroll.  Parleying  at  once  began  on  the  floor  of  the  Con- 
vention by  the  friends  of  the  opposition.  Among  the  chal- 
lenges was  the  following: 

"Dallas,  Texas,  November  lo,  1899. 
"To  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of  Texas,  Greeting : 
I  hereby  challenge  the  rights  to  seats  in  this  Convention 
of  all  messengers  who  are  aiding  and  abetting  in  their 
efforts  to  destroy  the  peace  of  our  Zion  ;  those  who  stand 
convicted  in  the  courts  of  'falsehood  and  malicious  libel," 
to-wit :  J.  B.  Gambrell,  B.  H.  Carroll,  R.  C.  Buckner  and 
others. 

"(Signed)     Geo.  T.  Todd, 
"Messenger  from  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Jefiferson." 

Objections  being  raised  against  sustaining  the  chal- 
lenges against  Doctors  Buckner,  Carroll  and  Gambrell,  the 
Convention  sustained  the  objection.  When  objection  was 
raised  to  sustaining  the  challenge  against  Doctor  Hay  den, 
he  arose  and  expressed  the  wish  that  the  challenge  might 
be  sustained.  It  was  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  before 
the  Convention  proceeded  to  permanent  organization.  R.  C. 
Buckner  was  chosen  president,  J.  M.  Robertson,  W.  R. 
Maxwell  and  W.  B.  Denson,  vice  presidents,  and  A.  E. 
Baten  and  J.  H.  Truett,  secretaries.  When  the  result  was 
announced  Doctor  Buckner,  as  the  general  manager  of  the 
Buckner  Orphans'  Home,  passed  down  the  aisle  at  the 
head  of  a  procession  of  two  hundred  orphans  who  were 
assigned  to  seats.     Following  this  Rev.  J.  M.  Gaddy,  after 


COTJBTS   AND   CHURCHES  415 

a  most  fortunate  speech,  took  pledges  and  cash  for  the 
Home  to  the  amount  of  $4,000.  When  the  committee  of 
challenges  reported  adversely  to  seating  S.  A.  Hayden  as 
a  messenger  of  the  Convention  it  was  agreed  that  he  be 
allowed  thirty  minutes  in  which  to  speak  in  his  own  behalf, 
and  that  W.  B.  Denson  be  requested  to  reply  in  a  speech  of 
fifteen  minutes.  The  speech  on  the  part  of  Doctor  Hayden 
was  extremely  violent  and  defiant.  It  was  in  marked  con- 
trast with  that  of  Colonel  W.  B.  Benson's  reply,  which, 
while  it  was  cogent  and  conclusive,  was  at  the  same  time 
conservative  in  its  tone.  This  done,  and  the  Convention 
was  ready  t6  vote  on  the  report.  On  motion  of  S.  H. 
Slaughter  the  vote  was  taken  by  ballot  on  the  challenge  of 
S.  A.  Hayden,  resulting  as  follows :  Five  hundred  and 
fifty-seven  votes  opposing  it  and  eleven  hundred  and  eighty- 
one  in  favor  of  denying  him  a  seat.  Obstructions  were 
summarily  removed  and  the  Convention  entered  on  its  usual 
work. 

During  the  speech  of  S.  A.  Hayden  on  this  occasion, 
which,  as  stated,  was  violent  in  the  extreme,  and  which  was 
directed  mainly  against  Dr.  J.  B.  Cranfill,  the  latter  sat 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  speaker,  under  absolute  self-control 
and  patient  under  what  was  believed  by  the  members  of  the 
Convention  to  be  as  unjust  an  assault  as  any  man  ever  suf- 
fered. To  those  who  were  aware  of  the  temperament  of  Dr. 
Cranfill,  who  had  been  born  and  bred  in  the  old  time  Texas 
school  of  high  ideals  of  honor  and  of  self-defense,  his  Chris- 
tian bearing  on  this  occasion  stamped  him  as  a  man  in  whose 
veins  coursed  the  blood  of  the  hero.  Let  the  facts  of  this 
incident  stand  out  in  resplendent  colors  as  long  as  Texas 
Baptist  history  shall  be  preserved. 

From  every  quarter  and  every  department  reports  were 
inspiring.  Signal  blessings  had  crowned  the  work  of  the 
State  Board,  and  more  money  had  been  raised  in  Texas 
for  State,  Home  and  Foreign  Alissions  than  ever  before 
within  a  single  year.  The  schools  of  the  state  were  pros- 
pering, not  only  by  an  increased  patronage,  but  in  the  eleva- 
tion of  the  standards  of  instruction.  The  Education  Com- 
mission was  proving  an  inspiration  to  the  cause,  and  con- 
fidence was  becoming  permanent.     The  Baptist  Standard, 


416  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

inoxiiii;  ali)iii4  a  lii.uli  i)lanc  (if  journalism,  was  flcjurishing, 
and  was  the  cliiof  instrument  in  fnsin,^'  and  strcngthcninjj^ 
the  confidence  of  the  denomination.  IJuckner  Orphans' 
Home  was  ex])an(hns4'  in  service  and  usefuhiess.  Tlie  a^ed 
and  retired  ministers  and  their  wives  were  cared  for.  Com- 
manchnj:^  ahihty  adorned  the  jnilpits  of  the  state.  Minis- 
tefial  education  was  commanchns^-  the  attention  of  our  peo- 
ple. The  boundaries  of  denominational  power  had  been 
given  ex])ansion  during  the  year ;  churches  had  been 
arrested  in  their  decline  and  had  been  made  strong;  the 
gospel  had  been  presented  as  never  before  so  broadly  from 
confine  to  confine  of  the  immense  commonwealth  ;  woman's 
work  had  l)ecome  a  pronounced  factor  in  the  denomination  ; 
the  Ba])tist  Young  Peo])le's  Union  was  growing  to  great 
strength,  and  men  of  tremendous  power  from  the  secular 
stations  of  life  were  becoming  potent  in  the  denominational 
councils.  Such  was  the  condition  of  the  cause  at  the  close 
of  the  conventional  year  of  1899. 

The  outlook  was  one  of  inspiration.  That  which  had 
been  attempted  as  a  hindrance  to  progress  was  turned  to 
helpfulness.  Strife  had  made  of  many,  spiritual  heroes, 
who  else  might  never  have  been  active.  All  things  were 
conducive  to  good.  Cohesiveness  of  the  I)a])tist  forces  had 
come  by  a  providence,  outwardly  harsh,  but  inwardly  full 
of  divine  goodness  and  wnsdom.  Men  felt,  as  never  before, 
the  strong  prompting  and  propulsion  to  duty.  The  dawn 
of  a  new  era  had  ])assed,  and  Texas  Baptists  stood  in  the 
broad  sunlight  of  lo\alt\-  and  devotion,  made  stronger  by 
the  ])ast  and  more  buoyant  in  prospect  of  the  future. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

DISASTER    AND    CONSECRATION. 

We  have  come  to  the  closing  year  of  the  century.  For 
fully  seventy-five  years  or  more  Baptists  have  been  in 
Texas.  The  span  of  three-quarters  of  a  century  had  wit- 
nessed a  phenomenal  change  in  a  great  empire  state  which 
was  at  first  the  home  of  the  savage  and  the  buffalo,  when 
the  initial  Baptist  sermon  was  preached  in  1824  on  the 
banks  of  the  Red  river.  Could  one  at  that  time  have  seen 
from  an  eminence  the  vast  extent  of  Texas,  he  would  have 
swept  his  eye  over  an  empire  of  fertile  plains,  with  here 
and  there  a  small  settlement  of  Mexicans  dotting  them 
over,  or  an  occasional  Indian  camp,  the  occupants  of  which 
relied  on  the  abundant  game  swarming  the  forests  and 
prairies  for  the  maintenance  of  life.  In  the  bosom  of  the 
wide  domain  lay  the  treasures  of  incalculable  wealth  await- 
ing the  hand  of  industry  and  art. 

Anon  the  Anglo-Saxon  came,  and  before  him  retired 
into  oblivion  the  thriftless  denizens  of  the  plains.  Nature 
was  gradually  subdued,  roads  were  opened,  settlements 
established,  villages  were  built  and  grew  into  towns,  then 
mto  cities,  the  railway  began  to  streak  the  plains  and  steadily 
grew  into  a  sieve-work,  and  progress  led  the  way  for  sev- 
enty-five years.  Amidst  the  stroke  of  the  resounding  ax 
and  the  smoke  of  advancement,  as  the  industrial  arts  multi- 
plied, was  a  force,  the  inspiration  of  which  was  sent  of 
heaven.  With  a  sturdiness  undaunted  and  a  progress  un- 
stayed by  difficulties,  the  great,  intrepid  men  sought  their 
way  to  the  hearts  of  the  coming  multitude  and  infused  the 
light  of  heaven  into  their  lives  and  homes.  Wherever  the 
immigrants  grouped  themselves  into  communities  the  Bap- 

417 


418  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

tist  pioneer  preacher  went,  with  his  open  Bible  and  his  love 
for  souls.  With  the  transformation  of  the  face  of  the 
empire  Avild,  into  a  habitable  commonwealth  of  peace  and 
prosperity,  was  a  transformation  of  character,  which  soft- 
ened the  asperities  of  a  rude' life  on  the  plains,  and  glad- 
dened the  hearts  of  the  coming  thousands  with  a  hope  for 
tile  eternal  Beyond.  Alongside  the  homes,  the  stores,  and  the 
manufactories  which  came  gradually  into  being,  were 
churches  erected  and  congregations  of  worshipers  gath- 
ered. Parallel  with  the  progress  of  the-  years  in  the  domain 
of  industrial  art,  was  the  advancement  of  gospel  truth. 

Seventy-five  years  of  Baptist  history  in  Texas  yielded 
as  one  of  the  richest  results  a  consecrated  people,  whose 
numbers  ran  into  the  hundred  thousands.  Had  the  people 
called  Baptists  the  disposition  to  boast,  there  was  an  occasion 
for  it  at  the  close  of  this  eventful  period  of  seventy-five 
years,  but  the  limit  of  this  time  found  them  still  doing  this 
same  humble  work  of  saving  the  multitudes  and  of  endeav- 
oring to  raise  humanity  to  heaven.  Tremendous  efficiency 
had  come  to  them,  and  facilities  had  been  multiplied  a  mil- 
lionfold.  A  denomination  of  the  people,  they  were  laborers 
together  for  the  people.  Every  facility  was  being  stressed 
at  this  time,  just  as  it  was  when  the  first  preacher  lifted  his 
voice  in  the  primeval  wilds  of  Texas.  The  success  of  the 
years,  growing  with  accumulating  force,  made  boundless 
the  hope  of  the  Baptists  as  they  turned  into  the  closing  year 
of  the  nineteenth  century. 

Never  were  forces  more  encouraged  and  emboldened  for 
good  than  were  those  who  turned  away  from  the  inspiring 
occasion  of  the  Baptist  General  Convention  at  Dallas  near 
the  close  of  1899.  The  same  policy  was  prayerfully  adopted 
by  the  Board.  Plans  were  enlarged  proportionately  with 
the  demands  of  the  enlarged  prospects.  During  the  year 
one  hundred  and  sixty-four  workers  were  put  into  the 
field.  It  was  resolved  to  expend  $40,000  in  the  prose- 
cution of  the  work  of  the  Convention.  The  work  pros- 
pered and  new  accretions  of  strength  came  with  enlarged 
opportunities.  More  sedulously  than  ever  the  multiplied  in- 
terests of  the  denomination  were  cared  for.  Throughout,  the 


DISASTER    AND    CONSECRATION  419 

State  was  thrilled  by  the  knowledge  of  the  advancing  strides 
of  the  denomination.  The  clamor  of  opposition  had  not 
hushed,  but  it  was  not  heeded,  as  heretofore.  The  years 
had  demonstrated  the  wisdom  of  the  policy  of  the  organized 
work,  and  the  people  had  come  to  prize  it.  The  shame  of 
lawsuits  continued  to  harass,  but  from  the  court-room  men 
returned  to  duty,  chastened  in  spirit,  to  be  sure,  but  more 
encouraged  to  lean  on  God,  and  to  seek  anew  to  meet  the 
issues  of  duty.  The  work  moved  as  though  there  was  no 
obstruction  lying  in  the  way.  Impelled  by  the  conscious- 
ness that  no  man  is  tmsafe  who  tracks  the  path  of  duty, 
men,  dogged  by  persecution,  held  on  their  way  by  trust 
unimpaired  and  spirit  unswerved.  The  opposition  had 
sloughed  off,  and  had  gone  to  its  own.  If  its  advocates 
found  congeniality  in  segregation,  those  whom  they  resisted 
found  congeniality  and  consecration.  Around  the  policy 
and  work  of  the  Convention,  the  great  denomination  was 
forming. 

Fresh  and  potent  elements  of  strength  were  coming  to 
the  reinforcement  of  the  work.  The  year  resounded  with 
activity,  and  the  forces  were  inspired  by  the  prosperity 
which  attended  their  efforts.  Texas  Baptists  stood  in  the 
gaze  of  the  country,  by  reason  of  their  astonishing  achieve- 
ments. In  response  to  the  demand  of  the  situation  in  the 
state,  interests  varied  and  great,  had  come  into  being,  and 
were  vying,  the  one  with  the  other,  in  their  forward 
surges.  The  missionary  was  abroad  as  an  enlightener  and 
helper;  the  agents  of  education  were  infusing  inspiration 
and  energy,  and  leading  to  higher  heights,  and  hundreds 
of  pastors  were  widening  their  usefulness  in  local  fields. 
Texas  was  veritably  a  hive  of  denominational  activity. 

\Miere  it  w^as  possible,  different  interests  were  being 
crystallized  under  the  general  direction  of  the  Convention, 
through  its  common  Board.  This  year  witnessed  the  disso- 
lution of  the  Sunday  School  and  Colportage  Board,  and 
the  merging  of  its  work  into  that  of  the  State  Board. 
Its  history,  running  backwards  through  many  years,  had 
been  one  of  vast  usefulness  to  that  important  work.  Condi- 
tions now   favored  a  change  from  one  sphere  to  another. 


420  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

The  Young  Peoples'  Union  had  grown  into  an  organiza- 
tion of  power  which  was  being  felt  throughout  the  state. 
R.  H.  Coleman  had  been  chosen  as  a  leader  of  this  move- 
ment, and  he  was  wisely  directing  its  growing  energies. 
Woman's  Work  had  attained  to  great  proportions,  and  our 
consecrated  women  vied  with  the  sterner  sex  in  energy, 
interest  and  enthusiasm.  Hundreds  of  our  noble  w'omen 
were  emulating  the  examples  of  the  women  of  New  Testa- 
ment story  in  efficient  labors.  They  were  arteries  of 
strength  to  their  pastors  on  their  local  fields,  and  powerful 
in  their  reinforcement  in  the  general  work.  Phenomenal 
was  the  spirit  which  had  come  to  the  host  of  Texas  Bap- 
tists. 

During  these  golden  days  of  distinct  advancement  and 
enlargement,  a  new^  era  had  come  to  the  Baptist  work.  The 
most  notable  growth  and  expansion  was  in  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Dallas  under  the  truly  wonderful  leadership 
of  Pastor  George  W.  Truett.  This  church,  always  strong 
and  aggressive  in  the  interest  of  the  Texas  Baptist  work, 
speedily  became  the  largest  contributor  among  the  Baptist 
churches  of  the  state,  which  position  it  holds  as  these  words 
are  penned.  More  than  $10,000  a  year  is  contributed  by 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Dallas  to  missions,  and  as  the 
record  for  1906,  at  which  point  this  history  closes,  is  set 
down,  the  membership  is  more  earnestly  aggressive  than 
ever  before.  Though  Pastor  Truett  has  had  many  tempta- 
tions to  leave  the  work  in  Texas,  he  abides  as  one  of  the 
strongest  factors  in  the  great  development  that  has  come 
to  the  enterprises  of  the  Texas  Baptist  denomination. 

On  September  8th,  1900,  came  the  disastrous  storm 
which  swept  the  southern  coast  of  Texas,  and  wrecked  the 
fair  city  of  Galveston.  The  disaster  was  so  profound  as  to 
send  a  thrill  of  horror  around  the  globe.  Violent  beyond 
description  was  the  gale,  and  unspeakable  in  disaster,  its 
consequences.  Thousands  were  drowned  in  the  maddened 
waters  of  the  gulf.  Millions  of  property  was  wrecked. 
At  least  twenty-seven  Baptist  meeting-houses  were  de- 
stroyed, among  which  were  the  Mrst  Churches  of  Galveston 
and  Houston.     B.  F.  Riley  had  just  assumed  the  pastoral 


DISASTER    AND    CONSECRATION  421 

care  of  the  First  Church  at  Houston,  had  occupied  the  pulpit 
one  Sunday,  and  the  following  Saturday  night  the  church 
was  wrecked.  The  southern  coast  was  practically  depopu- 
lated and  swept  bare  of  towns,  villages  and  farm  houses. 
The  retiring  storm  left  in  its  wake  a  scene  of  desolation. 
To  relieve  the  situation,  the  State  Board  turned  its  atten- 
tion toward  southern  Texas.  Steps  were  at  once  taken  to 
rebuild  the  churches  of  Galveston  and  Houston.  In  the 
city  of  Galveston  not  only  was  the  Second  Baptist  Church 
destroyed,  but  the  organization  was  blotted  out.  One  of  the 
Galveston  pastors  and  his  family  were  swept  away  into  the 
sea  and  drowned.  It  was  an  occasion  for  sympathy,  and  it 
came.  The  heart  of  the  world  was  touched  by  the  sense 
which  makes  the  race  akin. 

In  November  of  that  year  the  Baptist  State  Conven- 
tion met  at  Waco.  It  was  an  immense  gathering.  Men 
and  women,  once  attracted  to  the  annual  meeting  by  curi- 
osity, to  witness  scenes  of  disturbance,  were  here  now 
from  a  vastly  different  motive.  The  enthusiasm  of  the 
body,  once  experienced  was  never  forgotten.  Consecration 
had  given  place  to  curiosity  in  the  hearts  of  many  hun- 
dreds who  thronged  on  the  gathering  at  Waco.  Having 
successfully  foiled  all  efforts  to  inject  distraction  into  the 
body,  the  members  were  not  strained  by  that  degree  of 
caution  which  they  had  previously  exercised.  The  opposi- 
tion had  sustained  a  number  of  defeats  in  its  effort  to  bring 
disorder  and  tumult  into  the  assemblage.  This  opposition 
made  its  last  stand  at  Waco,  and  as  each  effort  had  grown 
feebler,  its  last  was  the  feeblest.  Thousands  of  people 
thronged  the  great  tabernacle  in  wdiich  the  Convention  met. 
It  was  a  scene  of  inspiration  and  enthusiasm. 

Among  the  preliminaries  were  brief  speeches  made  while 
the  Committee  on  Credentials  was  preparing  its  report.    Dr. 

A.  W.  McGaha,  who  had  recently  become  pastor  of  the 
First  Church  of  Waco,  made  an  address  of  welcome  and 
was  responded  to  by  Dr.  A.  J.  Harris,  of  San  Antonio. 

B.  F.  Riley,  who  had  recently  come  to  the  First  Church  of 
Houston ;  O.  L.  Hailey,  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Tex- 
arkana,  and  Christopher  Silene,  Scandinavian  missionary 
to  Texas,   all  being   recent   importations,   were   introduced 


423  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

and  kindly  greeted  1)v  the  l:)ody.  Professor  A.  T.  Robert- 
son, of  the  Southern  J  baptist  Theological  Seminary,  ad- 
dressed the  Convention  and  was  given  pledges  to  the  amount 
of  $1,900.  Missionary  Carlisle,  of  Cuba;^W.  B.  Bagby,  of 
Brazil,  and  L.  W.  Pierce,  of  China,  each  made  thrilling 
speeches.  At  night,  after  devotional  exercises,  a  pleasant 
incident  occurred,  when  Rev.  C.  B.  Hukill  and  Miss  Jean 
Goff  were  married  on  the  platform  by  President  Buckner, 
in  the  presence  of  the  immense  audience.  With  character- 
istic •liberality  a  collection  was  taken  by  the  congregation 
for  the  bridal  couple,  amounting  to  $62.79,  and  presented 
to  them. 

Rev.  D.  I.  Smyth  followed  with  the  Convention  sermon, 
after  which  Dr.  J.  M.  Frost  presented  the  claims  of  the 
Sunday  School  Board,  and  the  proceedings  of  the  first  day 
were  closed.  It  was  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  before 
the  committee  on  credentials  reported.  The  uncontested 
messengers  were  seated  and  formed  the  basis  of  an  organi- 
zation, and  seven  were  named  who  were  referred  to  a 
committee  of  five  to  consider  their  eligibility  to  seats. 
Among  the  challenges  presented  were  those  against  J.  B. 
Gambrell,  J.  B.  Cranfill,  G.  W.  Truett  and  W.  L.  Williams, 
of  the  First  Church  of  Dallas.  The  Convention  declined  to 
consider  the  last  challenges.  On  motion  the  challenge 
against  S.  A.  Hayden  w^as  sustained,  only  two  votes  being 
cast  against  it,  those  of  Doctor  Hayden  and  his  son. 

On  efifecting  a  permanent  organization  R.  C.  Buckner 
became  president  by  acclamation,  and  W.  B.  Denson,  J.  B. 
Cranfill  and  Oscar  H.  Cooper,  vice  presidents,  and  A.  E. 
Baten  and  J.  H.  Truett  were  chosen  secretaries — all  by 
acclamation.  Dr.  O.  H.  Cooper  had  recently  been  elected 
president  of  Baylor  University.  The  reading  of  the  annual 
report  of  the  I'oard  of  Directors  had  come  to  be  an  event 
of  consuming  interest  to  the  convention.  Rev.  George  W. 
Truett,  the  recording  secretary  of  the  Board,  read  the 
elaborate  report  in  the  midst  of  profound  silence.  The  re- 
view of  the  year's  work,  which  has  already  been  substan- 
tially stated,  raised  the  Convention  to  a  pitch  of  enthus- 
iasm and  gave  a  degree  of  confidence  never  before  experi- 
enced. 


DISASTER    AND    CONSECRATION  433 

The  meeting  of  the  Baptist  State  Convention  had  come 
to  be  one  of  such  interest  that  people  would  come  hundreds 
of  miles  merely  to  witness  its  enthusiasm,  and  to  catch  its 
sacred  afflatus.  It  was  a  fact  that  not  a  negative  vote  was 
cast  during  the  entire  session.  Discussion  was  often  ani- 
mated, expression  free,  and  views  varied;  but  when  a  vote 
was  reached  it  was  unanimously  affirmative.  Nor  was  this 
an  expression  of  subversion,  or  of  cringing  opinion,  but 
it  was  simply  an  index  of  the  oneness  into  which  the  Bap- 
tists had  come. 

The  Convention  showed  its  appreciation  of  the  unique 
work  done  by  the  chapel  car  "Good  Will,"  now  under  the 
management  of  G.  B.  Rogers,  by  subscribing  $510  for  its 
repair.  It  was  proving  a  valuable  auxiliary  to  the  work 
of  evangelization,  by  going  from  town  to  town,  where 
meetings  were  held  by  Mr.  Rogers  and  his  assistant.  The 
car  was  so  constructed  as  to  be  easily  converted  into  a  well- 
provided  chapel.  It  was  not  until  the  fourth  day  of  the 
Convention  at  Waco,  in  1900,  that  the  last  of  the  obstruc- 
tionists were  refused  seats.  Doctor  Hayden  had  been  denied 
a  seat  as  a  messenger  early  in  the  session,  and  the  eight 
who  had  challenged  J.  B.  Cranfill,  J.  B.  Gambrell,  G.  W. 
Truett  and  W.  L.  Williams,  on  the  basis  of  "gravely  of- 
fensive" charges,  were  denied  seats,  and  further  Conven- 
tional annoyance  was  at  an  end. 

The  vigor  with  which  the  suits  in  the  court  was  being 
prosecuted  against  many  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
bodv  elicited  the  following  preamble  and  resolution : 

"Whereas,  Certain  lawsuits  have  been  filed  against  offi- 
cers and  members  of  this  Convention,  which  have  subjected 
them  to  great  expense;  and, 

"Whereas,  These  suits  are  based  on  the  action  of  this 
body  when  in  convention  assembled,  and,  therefore,  in 
effect,  against  this  Convention  itself;  and, 

"Whereas,  A  few  of  our  brethren  should  not  be  allowed 
personally  to  bear  this  burden  of  proceedings  for  which  we 
are  all  equally  responsible ;  be  it,  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  this  Convention  consider  itself  attacked 
by  these  suits,  and  that  a  committee  be  now  appointed  to 
take  this  matter  in  charge,  and  at  once  begin  to  receive 


424  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

voluntary  contributions  toward  meeting  the  expenses  of  the 
brethren  incurred  by  reason  of  having  been  made  defend- 
ants in  said  suits." 

This  was  signed  bv  M.  M.  Hitchcock,  G.  S.  Tumhn  and 
E.  C.  Everett.  A.  \V.  McGaha,  R.  F.  Jenkins  and  John  T. 
Wofford  were  appointed  a  committee  to  receive  contribu- 
tions for  this  cause.  When  the  motion  was  made  to  elect  J. 
B.  Gambrell  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Board,  W.  S. 
Splawn  moved  to  fix  his  salary  at  $2,000.  An  effort  was 
made  to  raise  it  to  $2,500,  which  amount  had  been  that  of 
his  predecessors,  but  Dr.  Gambrell  begged  that  it  be  not 
done,  and  his  wish  was  respected.  Judge  W.  H.  Jenkins 
then  told  how  Doctor  Gambrell  had  been  brought  to  Texas. 
He  narrated  how  the  members  of  the  Board  prayed  with 
intensity  and  tears,  for  God  to  send  them  the  man  needed 
to  meet  the  crisis  which  then  existed,  and  how  without 
nomination  of  any  one,  the  secret  ballot  went  unanimously 
for  Doctor  Gambrell.  In  response,  Doctor  Gambrell  told 
how  he  had  not  wished  to  come  to  Texas.  His  plans  lay 
in  other  directions;  but  in  an  upper  room  in  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  the  assurance  came  to  him,  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  while  on  his  knees,  that  the  presence  of  God  would 
go  with  him.  These  years  in  Texas,  he  said,  had  been  the 
happiest  of  his  life.  Not  for  one  moment  had  there  been  a 
shadow  on  his  soul.  Only  one  question  should  control  us 
all,  and  that  is,  What  would  the  Master  have  us  do?  The 
scene  w-as  a  most  affecting  one  and  served  to  cement  closer 
the  bonds  of  Texas  Baptists. 

The  Education  Commission  reported  through  its  sec- 
retary, J.  M.  Carroll,  the  excellent  work  done,  and  reported 
that  it  would  be  necessary  in  order  to  meet  all  the  indebted- 
ness with  which  the  correlated  schools  are  burdened  to  raise 
$239,000.  Of  this  amount  $139,436.79  had  already  been 
raised  and  appropriated. 

Among  those  who  had  died  during  the  year  was  Rev. 
W.  R.  Maxwell,  a  man  greatly  beloved  and  honored  by  the 
denomination.  Through  a  long  period  of  years  the  con- 
fidence of  the  denomination  in  this  good  man  found  expres- 
sion in  the  high  station  of  honor  to  which  they  repeatedly 


DISASTER    AND    CONSECRATION  425 

called  him.  He  died  at  Cuero  on  January  i,  and  was  buried 
at  Temple. 

Failing  in  all  things  else  in  inflaming  the  public  mind 
against  the  Convention  and  its  chief  workers  through  the 
columns  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,  and  on  the  floor 
of  the  Convention,  a  relentless  cruside  of  judicial  procedure 
was  continued  b}'  the  opposition.  But  it  was  an  occasion  of 
common  gratification  that  no  further  troubles  could  be 
injected  into  the  councils  of  the  Baptists.  No  other  ground 
was  now  left  the  opposition  than  that  of  the  courts.  This 
was  a  source  of  continued  perplexity,  but  it  was  restricted 
in  its  application,  and  its  scenes  were  confined  to  the  court- 
room. As  often  as  the  lower  court  would  pronounce  against 
the  defendants,  the  supreme  court  would  reverse  such 
action. 

The  new  century  opened  auspiciously  to  the  Baptists  of 
Texas.  They  were  rapidly  growing  in  numbers,  their  an- 
nual contributions  to  all  causes  wxre  every  year  increasing, 
the  territory  of  their  influence  was  expanding,  their  churches 
were  multiplying,  development  of  efficiency  was  progress- 
ing, the  cherished  objects  of  the  denomination  were  in  ad- 
mirable shape. 

The  romance  of  Texas  Baptist  history  was  behind,  and 
stern  action  was  the  rule  of  the  hour.  The  vicissitudes 
through  which  their  great  and  growing  institutions  had 
come  had  made  them  strong  and  had  endowed  them  with 
everlasting  perpetuation.  The  past  at  least  was  secure, 
and  was  prophetic  of  that  which  the  future  was  to  be.  It 
was  a  period  of  universal  felicitation.  Through  prayer  and 
effort  and  struggle,  through  sacrifice  and  blood,  these  insti- 
tutions had  been  reared  and  maintained,  and  only  loyalty  to 
God  was  needed  to  transmit  them  with  tremendous  power 
for  good  to  the  generations  to  come.  That  which  had  been 
done  was  an  inspiration  to  effort  commensurate  with  the 
additional  advantages  which  other  years  would  bring.  The 
Baptists  of  Texas  had  come  to  the  point  when  they  would 
set  no  limit  to  future  achievement.  The  future  was  invit- 
ing and  thousands  of  hearts  were  responsive. 

The  State  Board  assembled  as  usual  to  forecast  the 
work  of  the  year.     As  usual,  too,  it  was  solemnlv  deliber- 


426  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

ate.  The  members  felt  the  responsibihty  of  the  hour. 
Hitherto  had  God  led  them  and  they  were  devoutly  grateful 
and  profoundly  humble.  The  meeting  of  the  Board  was 
an  occasion  of  buoyant  joy,  seasoned  with  a  sense  of 
burden.  Men  spoke  with  measured  speech,  as  though  in 
the  presence  of  a  visible  Jehovah.  The  past  did  not  cheer 
so  much  as  the  future  allured,  and  the  allurement  made 
them  serious.  They  were  much  in  prayer.  Their  faith 
gave  them  courage  and  made  them  strong.  It  was  no  occa- 
sion for  maudlin  sentimentalism,  but  of  stern  reality.  The 
destiny  of  thousands  was  suspended  on  their  deliberation, 
the  issue  of  causes  that  reached  into  eternity  was  imposed, 
and  .they  felt  it  deeply.  The  Board  meeting  was  always 
an  open  one.  Numbers  came  and  filled  the  seats  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Dallas  to  catch  the  solemn  thrill. 
Hours  of  devotion,  deep  and  devout,  preceded  the  entrance 
on  the  work  of  the  year. 

During  the  year  of  1901  came  the  first  pronounced 
expression  in  organized  form  against  the  State  Convention 
since  its  consolidation  with  all  other  bodies  in  the  state. 
This  was  the  direct  outgrowth  of  the  action  of  the  Con- 
vention in  declining  seats  in  the  body  to  certain  members 
who  were  opposed  to  the  State  Convention.  Doctor  Hay- 
den  and  his  followers  called  a  preliminary  meeting  at  Lin- 
dale  preparatory  to  another  meeting  which  was  held  later 
in  the  year  at  Jack's  Creek,  where  was  formally  organized 
the  Missionary  Baptist  Association  of  Texas,  and  an  inde- 
pendent work  was  undertaken.  Among  the  leaders  in  this 
new  movement  were  S.  A.  Hayden,  S.  J.  Anderson,  W.  H. 
Parks,  J.  K.  P.  Williams,  H.  B.  Pender,  L.  L.  Sams,  J.  M. 
Newburn,  A.  P.  Schofield  and  B.  J.  Albritton.  S.  A. 
Hayden  called  the  friends  of  the  Convention  "The 
Board  Party"  and  his  own  followers  "The  Church 
Party."  The  essential  difference  between  the  two  was 
that  the  Convention  was  composed  of  messengers  from 
the  churches,  which  made  it  a  body  independent,  while  the 
Association  was  composed  of  churches,  and  not  of  members, 
as  constituent  units.  The  Missionary  Association  proposed 
to  establish  agencies  to  accomplish  precisely  the  same  things 
in  all  spheres  which  were  undertaken  by  the  State  Conven- 


DISASTEE    AND    CONSECEATION  427 

tion,  only  under  such  different  auspices  as  have  been 
named.  The  result  of  this  was  confusion  in  some  of  the 
churches,  in  which  some  members  favored  one,  while  others 
favored  the  other.  The  Board  "of  Missions  of  the  Mission- 
ary Baptist  Association  was  located  at  Ennis,  with  S.  H. 
Slaughter  as  president  and  J.  M.  Newburn  as.  correspond- 
ing secretary. 

On  March  21,  1901,  Baylor  University  and  the  denomi- 
nation in  the  state  at  large,  suffered  a  serious  loss  in  the 
death  of  Professor  John  Stevenson  Tanner,  who  occupied 
the  chair  of  Philosophy  and  Biblical  Languages  in  the  Uni- 
versity. Endowed  with  splendid  gifts,  which  had  received 
the  burnish  of  high  scholastic  culture,  and  pervaded  by  the 
enrichment  of  divine  grace,  Professor  Tanner  gave  promise 
of  vast  usefulness.  Even  in  his  early  years  he  had  attained 
distinction  as  a  scholar,  and  by  his  rare  learning  was  already 
wielding  a  wide  influence.  He  was  universally  loved,  and 
was  the  idol  of  the  student  body  at  Baylor  University.  His 
suavity  of  disposition  and  simplicity  of  life,  coupled  with  his 
rare  qualities  as  an  instructor,  had  won  for  him  a  popularity 
but  seldom  enjoyed.    He  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-two. 

On  May  14,  1901,  President  R.  C.  Burleson,  D.D., 
LL.D.,  died  after  a  career  of  marvelous  usefulness.  His 
long,  eventful  life  stretched  through  all  the  stirring  scenes 
in  Texas,  from  the  days  of  its  earliest  struggles  till  death 
came  to  the  old  hero.  Active,  energetic,  progressive  and 
possessed  of  administrative  power,  he  had  done  more,  per- 
haps, for  education  in  Texas  than  any  other.  His  gifts 
were  versatile  and  his  energy  invincible.  He  had  enjoyed 
the  friendship  of  the  leading  men  of  Texas  during  both  the 
periods  of  its  being  a  Republic  and  a  state. 

His  brethren  had  honored  him  by  sustaining  him  as 
president  of  their  chief  institution  of  learning  for  forty- 
seven  years.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  the  presiding 
officer  of  the  two  general  bodies  of  the  denomination  in  the 
state.  For  full  fifty  years  he  stood  in  the  front  rank  of 
Texas  Baptists.  He  was  president  emeritus  of  Baylor  Uni- 
versity when  he  died.  He  died  at  the  ripe  age  of  seventy- 
eight  and  was  buried  at  Waco. 

The  year  was  one  of  cheering  development  in  eastern 


428  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Texas.  \'ast  gains  were  made  in  that  region  of  the  state, 
in  which  country  churches  vied  with  those  in  the  centers  of 
population  in  beneficence. 

The  campaign  of  eckication  left  in  its  wake  an  excellent 
condition  for  the  pressure  of  the  claims  of  the  objects  which 
were  to  be  presented,  each  in  its  turn.  For  the  claims  of 
Home  and  Foreign  Missions  came  next,  and  the  results  were 
gratifying,  as  they  had  been  in  the  pressure  of  the  claims 
of  the  Commission.  Unswerved  by  factious  opposition,  the 
advancing  column  of  varied  agencies  marched  aggressively 
abreast. 

The  State  Board,  in  its  first  meeting  after  the  Conven- 
tion, had  resolved  on  spending  $50,000  during  the  year  on 
the  field.  This  was  necessary  to  command  the  service  of 
the  two  hundred  and  three  workers  employed  in  this  vast 
venture.  The  faith  of  God's  people  was  tried,  for  there 
was  a  general  failure  in  the  crops  over  the  entire  state,  but 
God  honored  their  adventurous  faith,  as  he  always  does. 
Faith  measured  up  to  the  emergency,  there  was  no  faltering, 
and  in  due  time,  it  was  honored  of  God. 

New  church  organizations  came  into  being,  the  State 
Board  establishing  during  the  year  as  many  as  eighty-three. 
Two  hundred  and  eighty-seven  Sunday-schools  were  also 
organized.  In  the  new  centers  springing  up  as  by  magic, 
the  employees  of  the  Board  secured  seventy-three  church 
lots.  Indeed,  no  interest  fostered  by  the  Baptists  of  Texas 
lagged.  One  of  the  favorable  signs  of  the  times  was  the 
demand  for  a  strong,  aggressive  ministry.  This  was  the 
immediate  outgrowth  of  the  aggressiveness  and  the  pro- 
gressiveness  of  the  denomination.  The  sturdy  people  who 
had  crowded  the  western  frontier,  the  boundary  of  which 
was  being  steadily  pressed  still  westward,  called  for  men  in 
the  pulpit  who  were  of  the  highest  possible  type.  A  weak 
preacher  found  no  place  among  them.  This  work  on  the 
western  frontier,  undertaken  years  before  in  the  wisdom  of 
Dr.  O.  C.  Pope,  had  been  vigorously  followed  up  by  his 
successors  and  now  vast  results  were  seen.  This  demand 
for  a  strong  ministry  reacted  on  Baylor  University,  and 
helped  to  elevate  and  expand  this  growing  institution. 

Then,  too,  it  was  a  year  of  church  building.     Excellent 


DISASTEE    AND    CONSECRATION  429 

houses  of  worship  were  rapidly  taking  the  places  of  many 
which  had  not  been  a  credit  to  the  great  people  who  wor- 
shiped within  them.  Of  course,  the  disaster  along  the 
southern  coast  stimulated  the  work  in  that  region,  as  the 
effort  of  rehabilitation  had  already  begun,  but  it  was  not 
confined  to  southern  Texas.  During  the  year  the  church 
building  fund  ran  up  to  $59,082.05.  The  amount  received 
for  State  Missions  aggregated  $52,462.25.  A  neat  balance 
was  left  in  the  treasury  after  all  obligations  had  been  met. 

At  the  Waco  Convention  three  large  tents  were  given 
respectively  by  C.  C.  Slaughter,  C.  H.  Briggs  and  Sid  Wil- 
liams for  evangelistic  purposes.  These  were  transported 
here  and  there  in  populous  communities  with  immense  bene- 
fit. While  these  mighty  movements  were  in  progress,  and 
vast  results  were  being  gained,  the  work  was  not  pressed 
to  exhaustion.  Reserved  power  was  left  for  strength  in 
the  future,  and  for  a  fresher  and  further  bound  forward 
when  the  next  opportunity  should  come.  While  the  visible 
results  were  vast,  those  unseen  were  unspeakable. 

Among  the  active  evangelists  of  the  period  was  Rev.  Sid 
Williams,  whose  services  as  an  evangelist  were  not  confined 
to  Texas,  but  were  sought  far  and  wide  in  other  states. 

When  the  Convention  met  at  Ft.  Worth  on  November 
8,  1 90 1,  it  came  together  with  its  accustomed  enthusiasm. 
It  was  warmly  greeted  by  the  Mayor,  Hon.  T.  J-  Powell. 
on  behalf  of  the  city  and  Dr.  Luther  A.  Little  on  behalf 
of  the  Baptist  churches.  The  response  to  these  addresses 
of  welcome  was  made  by  Rev.  George  W.  McDaniel,  who, 
among  other  young  pastors  in  Texas,  had  but  recently  come 
into  state-wide  prominence.  It  was  in  this  speech  that  he 
coined  the  phrase,  "Enlistment,  enlargement,  enlighten- 
ment," which  has  become  a  part  of  the  militant  literature 
of  Texas  Baptists.  His  address  was  one  of  the  most  elo- 
quent of  its  kind  ever  heard  in  the  Baptist  General  Con- 
vention. 

It  was  a  notable  gathering  of  Baptist  tribes.  No  bar- 
riers as  heretofore  lay  in  the  way  of  the  prompt  organiza- 
tion of  the  body.  The  officers  were  elected  by  acclamation : 
R.  C.  Buckner,  president,  W.  J.  Brown,  W.  D.  Harris  and 
Fred  W.  Freeman,  vice  presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and 


430  IITSTORY    OF    TEXAS   BAPTISTS 

F.  M.  jMcConnell,  recording  secretaries.  Early  in  the  ses- 
sion J.  M.  Gaddy  announced  that  Dr.  A.  W.  McGaha, 
pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Waco,  was  seriously  ill  at 
lluiitsville,  Alahama,  and  moved  that  the  secretaries  tele- 
graph him  and  his  family  a  message  of  sympathy.  The 
following  message  was  accordingly  sent: 

"  'The  Lord  will  strengthen  him  upon  the  hed  of  lan- 
guishing ;  thou  wilt  make  all  his  hed  in  his  sickness.'  Ps. 
41  -.T,.     ]{arnest  pra}XT,  heartfelt  sympathy." 

It  will  be  noted  that  at  this  session  of  the  Convention, 
Rev.  F.  M.  McConnell  was  elected  as  one  of  the  secretaries 
instead  of  J.  H.  Truett,  who  for  years  had  graced  that  re- 
sponsible position.  During  the  spring  of  1901,  Mr.  Truett 
fell  ill  with  a  trouble  that  soon  developed  into  tuberculosis, 
and  the  1901  session  of  the  Convention  was  the  last  that  it 
was  ever  his  privilege  to  attend.  Fie  is  a  man  of  unusual 
strength  of  character,  gentleness  of  heart,  and  devotion  to 
the  Baptist  cause.  He  is  a  brother  to  Rev.  (jeorge  W. 
Truett,  and  a  son  of  Mr.  C.  L.  Truett  and  wife  of  White- 
wright,  Texas.  At  this  latter  point,  J.  H.  Truett  lingers  as 
these  words  are  penned  in  what  he  believes  to  be  the  shad- 
ows of  his  last  days  on  earth.  He  has  fought  a  good  fight 
and  has  kept  the  faith,  and  in  his  brief  but  devoted  life  he 
has  made  a  record  of  which  any  Christian  soldier  might 
well  be  proud. 

The  reading  of  the  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Direct- 
ors, which  had  been  prepared  by  Secretary  J.  B.  Gambrell, 
was  the  occasion  of  intense  attention.  This  report  was 
read  by  the  recording  secretary  of  the  Board,  George  W. 
Truett.  He  has  read  for  the  Convention  the  annual  report 
of  the  Board  for  many  years.  The  impressive  manner  in 
which  this  and  other  reports  have  been  read  to  the  body 
has  been  no  small  factor  in  their  great  impressiveness. 
Truett  is  all  heart  and  love  for  the  cause,  and  his  great  and 
consecrated  life  has  been  freely  placed  upon  the  altar  of 
Texas  Baptists.  The  review  of  the  work  of  the  year  in  all 
its  phases,  the  innumerable  blessings  which  had  attended 
it,  the  expansion  of  the  field  of  operation  and  the  outlook — 
every  item  was  one  of  inspiration  to  the  dense  audience. 

The  work  of  the  Education  Commission  during  the  year 


DISASTER    AND    CONSECRATION  43 1 

had  been  such  that  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  stated,  after  an  address 
on  the  subject,  that  if  $25,000  could  be  raised  at  this  ses- 
sion it  would  liquidate  the  last  cent  of  indebtedness  on  all 
the  schools.  In  response  to  an  appeal  from  J.  M.  Carroll, 
the  last  cent  was  subscribed  and  the  Convention  arose  and 
sang:     "Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings. flow." 

From  statistical  information  gathered  from  J.  M.  Car- 
roll, the  statistical  secretary  of  the  Convention,  the  follow- 
ing facts  were  developed : 

First.  In  Texas  is  more  than  one-eighth  of  the  white 
district  associations  in  the  South. 

Second.  In  Texas  is  one-seventh  of  the  number  of 
white  Baptist  churches  of  the  South. 

Third.  In  Texas  is  one-thirteenth  of  the  total  Baptist 
membership  of  America. 

Fourth.  In  Texas  is  one-fifteenth  of  the  total  Baptist 
membership  of  the  world. 

Fifth.  Texas  sustains  far  more  State  Missionaries  than 
any  other  state. 

Sixth.  Texas  contributes  far  more  to  State  Missions 
than  any  other  state. 

Seventh.  Texas  contributes  more  money  to  all  mis- 
sions than  any  other  southern  state,  and  possibly  more  than 
any  other  state. 

Eighth.  Texas  contributes  more  money  to  benevolent 
objects  than  any  other  of  the  southern  states. 

Ninth.  Texas  is  doing  more  than  twice  as  much  for 
orphan  children  as  any  other  southern  state. 

The  gifts  of  the  year  were  signalized  by  the  magnificent 
donations'  of  F.  L.  Carroll  and  George  W.  Carroll,  father 
and  son,  to  Baylor  University ;  F.  L,  Carroll  giving  a 
library  building  for  Baylor  University,  costing  $60,000 ; 
and  George  W.  Carroll,  giving  $75,000  for  a  science  hall. 
Nothing  had  ever  before  occurred  in  the  history  of  the 
denomination  that  gave  so  great  a  stimulus  to  the  general 
cause  of  benevolence,  and  to  the  special  cause  of  education. 
Mr.  F.  L.  Carroll  subsequently  added  $5,000  to  his  gift, 
for  an  organ  to  be  placed  in  the  immense  chapel  of  the 
building  which  bears  his  honored  name.  Both  these  mag- 
nificent edifices  adorn  the  campus  of  Baylor  University. 


432  HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

The  Convention  at  Ft.  Worth  closed  with  a  glow  of 
enthusiasm.  The  Baptists  of  Texas  had  made  a  fortunate 
discovery — that  of  their  own  strength.  The  results  achieved 
during  the  past  year  became  a  marvelous  propulsion  toward 
the  future.  The  joy  was  universal,  as  the  contribution  to 
the  general  result  had  been.  Men  had  wrought  mightily, 
and  many  had  done  their  utmost.  The  aggregation  of  re- 
sults made  the  occasion  memorable.  Immense  success  in 
the  past  inspired  confidence  for  the  future.  As  the  thou- 
sands turned  toward  their  homes,  there  was  a  sense  of 
honest  pride  in  being  a  Texas  Baptist.  Xor  were  the  re- 
sults of  the  year  confined  in  their  influence  to  Texas.  The 
news  was  flashed  over  the  wires  throughout  the  country, 
and  the  press,  both  secular  and  denominational,  gave  it 
great  prominence.  Great  examples  inspired  great  effort. 
With  the  Baptists  of  Texas  the  effect  was  electrical.  Pos- 
sibilities multiplied   with   growing  success. 

During  the  year  1901  Doctor  William  Henry  Newman 
became  a  member  of  the  theological  faculty  of  Baylor  Uni- 
versity. He  came  crowned  with  the  distinction  of  being  the 
leading  church  historian  of  the  continent.  His  researches 
had  been  varied  and  profound,  and  his  removal  to  Texas 
was  regarded  as  one  peculiarly  fortunate  to  the  denomina- 
tion. He  resigned  the  chair  of  Church  History  in  Mc- 
Master  University,  Toronto,  Canada,  to  accept  a  similar 
position  at  Baylor  University. 

In  the  spring  of  1901  were  laid  with  much  ceremony 
the  corner  stones  of  the  great  Carroll  buildings  on  the 
campus  of  Baylor  University.  Distinguished  speakers  were 
present  and  the  occasion  was  one  worthy  of  the  institution 
and  the  princely  donors. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

A  PERIOD  OF   PROSPERITY, 

During  the  last  few  years  everything  had  been  conspir- 
ing to  the  prosperity  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Texas. 
In  God's  providence  everything  had  fallen  out  for  their 
good.  Obstructions  had  been  overborne  by  the  irresistible 
tide,  and  nothing  could  stand  in  the  way  of  denominational 
progress.  Talleyrand's  trite  but  famous  saying,  "Nothing 
succeeds  like  success,"  was  being  illustrated  by  Texas  Bap- 
tists. One  achievement  made  possible  another  and  greater. 
The  most  doubtful  and  the  most  indifferent  had  fallen  into 
the  line  of  march,  and  were  now  exultant  sharers  in  the 
great  accomplishments  of  the  time.  Others  still  joined  now 
in  the  prosecution  of  enterprises  which  they  once  thought 
to  be  impossible.  There  were  not  wanting  those  who  felt 
at  the  close  of  a  given  year  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
repeat  its  record  the  next,  but  when  the  next  would  come 
with  still  greater  results,  they  too  would  join  the  chorus 
of  the  advancing  column. 

Four  chief  causes  had  conspired  to  bring  about  the  ex- 
isting results — these  were  resistance,  unity,  organization 
and  faith.  The  hostile  demonstrations  with  which  the  Con- 
vention has  been  tormented  for  years  called  into  exercise 
the  deep  moral  resistance  of  every  unbiased  man  and 
woman.  It  was  resistance  or  ruin  which  confronted  our 
people,  and  strong  men  and  women  were  not  disposed  to 
sit  idly  by  and  in  passive  quietude  see  the  work  of  many 
hard  years  go  to  pieces,  to  gratify  selfish  ambition.  No 
mistaken  notion  of  nonresistance  possessed  them  when  the 
call  came  for  decisive  action.  The  alternative  was  clear — 
loyalty  to  principle  or  surrender  in  shame.  It  is- easy  to  see 
that  the  logical  sequence  of  this  would  be  unity.  It  set 
people  to  seeing  and  thinking  one  way.     Thought,  affec- 

433 


434  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

tion,  devotion  and  loyalty  were  focused.  This  again  would 
have  availed  nothing,  had  there  not  been  present  at  this 
crisis  the  wisdom  to  utilize,  direct  and  urge.  God  had 
raised  up  men  for  the  juncture.  Providence  makes  no 
mistakes.  Emergencies  call  for  men  and  they  are  always 
present.  Fortunate  for  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  their  leader- 
ship in  its  versatility  exactly  met  the  demands  of  the  crisis. 
Then,  too,  they  were  men  of  faith,  and  their  strong,  bold 
faith,  by  its  masterly  example  became  contagious. 

One  cannot  reflect  on  the  scenes  enacted  in  Texas  dur- 
ing the  few  recent  years  without  seeing  how  these  four 
logical  links  were  united — each  productive  of  the  other  next 
succeeding — resistance,  unity,  organization  and  faith.  As 
the  all-perv^asive  principle  of  the  individual  life  is  faith, 
making  possible  and  preserving  the  integrity  of  the  other 
graces  of  the  soul,  so  faith  underlay  all  the  other  elements 
named  here,  and  pervaded  them  through  and  through. 

Such  was  the  boundlessness  of  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
time  that  when  the  next  Board  meeting  was  held,  in  order 
to  forecast  the  work  of  the  succeeding  year,  there  were 
those  present  who  felt  that  the  denomination  could  multiply 
its  achievements  many  times  over  during  the  following 
year.  But  Doctor  Gambrell  sounded  the  note  of  caution 
and  by  quaint  humor  and  illustration  suggested  that  the 
child  must  first  crawl,  then  stand  alone,  then  walk  and  run. 
To  make  haste  slowly,  to  preserve  the  stitches  so  that  not 
one  be  let  drop,  was  the  timely  and  philosophic  suggestion 
to  those  who  felt  the  impulse  of  precipitate  action.  In  the 
same  connection  it  was  suggested  that  the  Baptists  of  Texas 
could  raise  $100,000  even  for  state  missions  during  the  next 
year,  if  they  should  will,  and  this  was  responded  to  by  ani- 
mated "aniens ;"  but  the  voice  of  caution  brought  soberness 
by  the  suggestion  that  we  must  grow  into  greatness  by  de- 
grees, as  we  had  done.  That  vaster  things  awaited  the 
Baptists  of  Texas  was  evident  from  the  history  of  the  past ; 
but  the  due  process  of  growth  and  development  admits  of 
application  to  the  principle  of  evolution,  whether  of  the 
plant,  the  brute,  the  child,  the  seasons,  or  the  high  unfold- 
ing of  eternal  plans.  Possessed  of  this  idea  the  work  for 
the  next  year  was  projected.    In  the  ascending  scale  of  de- 


A   PEEIOD    or   PEOSPEEITY  435 

velopment  it  had  been  just  as  easy  to  raise  $50,000  during 
the  last  year  as  it  had  been  to  raise  half  that  amount  a  few 
years  before. 

The  situation  which  confronted  the  Board  of  Directors 
at  its  first  annual  meeting  after  the  Fort  Worth  Convention 
in  1901  was  not  without  its  embarrassments..  It  called  for 
the  coolest  wisdom  and  the  most  penetrating  sagacity.  Up 
to  this  time  the  work  had  greatly  prospered,  and  order  had 
rapidly  come  out  of  disorder ;  but  the  wisdom  of  the  states- 
man, combined  with  the  devoutness  of  the  saint,  was  needed 
to  begin  the  year  with  such  adjustment  to  conditions  that  no 
snags  be  left  in  the  current  for  the  future. 

It  would  have  seemed  to  a  casual  observer  that  the  re- 
sources of  the  denomination  were  pretty  thoroughly  drained 
in  the  closing  days  of  1901,  when  the  Board  held  its  an- 
nual meeting  in  Dallas.  The  work  of  the  Education  Com- 
mission had  been  one  of  close  and  careful  gleaning,  and  it 
seemed  necessary.  In  its  last  strain  to  meet  existing  in- 
debtedness it  had  received  pledges  to  the  amount  of  $25,000 
at  Fort  Worth.  Then  the  Buckner  Orphans'  Home  at  the 
same  session  of  the  Convention  had  been  pledged  the  hand- 
some sum  of  $12,600.  Besides  all  this,  the  preceding  year 
had  been  a  disastrous  one  to  the  farming  interests,  and  not 
only  was  money  scarce,  but  there  was  no  assurance  of 
course  that  the  following  year  would  be  one  of  harvest 
prosperity.  All  these  matters  were  subjects  of  the  most 
serious  consideration  at  the  hands  of  the  Board,  and  before 
the  prospective  outlay  was  named  all  possible  contingencies 
were  considered. 

At  this  juncture  Rev.  Isaac  Sellers  suggested  that  the 
signs  and  seasons  indicated  a  prosperous  incoming  year, 
and  he  was  anxious  that  advancement  be  made  in  absolute 
trustfulness.  A  nian  of  wisdom  and  of  broad  and  varied 
observation,  and  a  brother  whose  judgment  was  worthy  of 
consideration,  the  cheering  words  of  Isaac  Sellers  availed 
much.  The  amount  of  $50,000  had  been  appropriated  the 
year  before  and  $65,000  was  named  and  adopted  for  the 
succeeding  year.  Deacon  John  T.  Wofford,  of  Cuero,  who 
had  come  to  the  front  as  one  of  the  most  liberal  and  dis- 
tinguished  of  the   Baptist   laymen,   deemed   the   amount   a 


43G  IlliSTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

safe  one  and  urged  the  adoption  of  the  sum  named.  The 
leader  of  the  host  of  laymen,  Colonel  C.  C.  Slaughter,  who 
was  the  president  of  the  Board,  coincided  with  the  others  in 
the  proposed  advancement  for  the  redemption  of  the  state. 
Two  days  were  spent  in  earnest  and  serious  elTort  to  ap- 
propriate the  amount,  so  as  to  reach  and  afTect  every  part 
of  the  state  wdiere  need  existed. 

The  year  was  attended  by  difficulties  of  an  unusual 
character,  but  they  were  summarily  met.  Rev.  George  W. 
Baines,  who  had  long  been  a  conspicuous  figure  in  the 
councils  of  the  denomination,  a  man  of  great  force  with  the 
churches  everywhere,  was  compelled  by  conditions  of  health 
to  retire  from  the  work  of  general  missionary,  and  re- 
enter the  pastorate  on  the  high  plains  of  the  west.  Revs. 
W.  M.  Gaddy  and  J.  M.  P.  Morrow,  two  other  efficient 
general  missionaries,  were  hindered  by  protracted  illness. 
Rev.  J.  C.  Gentry,  a  man  of  deep  piety  and  lovable  heart, 
and  a  most  active  general  missionary,  had  died.  Rev.  J.  M. 
Gaddy,  whose  adjustable  efficiency  was  in  great  demand  in 
the  sphere  of  raising  money,  was  retained  by  the  Education 
Commission  for  most  of  his  time,  though  it  was  contem- 
plated that  his  services  would  be  at  the  command  of  the 
State  Board.  Then,  too,  the  seasons  were  again  unfavor- 
able and  the  crops  failed.  But  the  denomination  was  well 
organized  and  manned  by  as  able  and  loyal  body  of  pastors 
as  any  state  ever  had.  Facilities  were  abundant  for  reach- 
ing the  people  both  by  word  of  mouth  and  the  printing 
press.  The  Baptist  Standard  was  at  its  best,  and  Editor 
Cranfill  was  rendering  a  service  to  the  cause  second  to  that 
of  no  other  man.  His  paper  was  deservedly  popular,  and 
through  his  energy  and  management  reached  many  thou- 
sands of  homes  and  touched  into  activity  much  latent 
energy.  That  w^hich  found  expression  at  the  meeting  of  the 
Convention  in  1902  was  the  policy  of  the  denomination 
through  its  Board  of  Directors — enlightenment,  enlistment, 
enlargement.  It  was  a  year  of  tremendous  activity  all  along 
the  line.  There  was  no  abatement  of  energy,  no  cessation 
of  well  directed  effort.  In  no  sphere  of  life  was  activity 
more  strenuous  than  in  the  Pjaptist  denomination  of  Texas. 
It   was   a   vear  of   denominational   instruction.     Literature 


A    PERIOD    OF    PROSPERITY  437 

was  freely  used,  and  the  people  were  enlightened.  Great 
compactness  of  organization  was  secured,  and  as  a  result  of 
the  combined  agencies  of  literature  and  effort,  the  multi- 
tudes were  enlisted  as  never  before.  Notwithstanding  the 
disadvantages,  which  were  grave,  the  boundaries  of  the  work 
were  enlarged  and  the  domain  of  usefulness  in  Baptist 
circles  in  Texas  was  vastly  broadened.  The  outcome  of  the 
development  which  had  ensued  as  a  result  of  the  phenom- 
enal activity  of  the  last  few  years,  was  the  settled  principle 
that  the  churches  needed  active  pastors.  No  pastorate  in 
Texas  in  the  Baptist  denomination  was  a  sinecure.  Nor 
would  the  churches  engage  pastors  who  were  not  capable 
leaders  in  missionary  enterprise.  No  pastor  could  long  re- 
main in  connection  with  the  Baptist  church  who  was  a 
drone.  Churches  vied  with  each  other  in  gifts  and  other 
good  work.  It  was  a  distinguishing  phase  of  denomina- 
tional life  that  the  churches  themselves  were  active.  Men 
and  women  alike,  and  the  young  of  both  sexes  in  their  re- 
spective organizations,  were  vigorous  and  healthy  in  tone 
of  spiritual  life.  The  Baptist  denomination  of  Texas 
throughout  was  a  busy  host. 

So  strong  and  formidable  had  the  forces  become  as  to 
call  for  closer  and  more  complete  organizations  in  detail. 
From  every  association  there  were  active  forces,  but  it  was 
clear  that  these  could  become  manifold  multiplied  with  com- 
mensurate returns  if  others  were  reached  as  had  been  the 
comparative  few.  The  associations  themselves  took  up 
the  work  of  more  thorough  organization  in  order  to  fuller 
co-operation.  There  was  a  mighty  moving  of  the  Spirit 
among  the  masses. 

Thus  the  work  went  bravely  and  cjuietly  on  throughout 
the  year.  Where  visible  means  of  success  were  not  in  sight, 
faith  supplied  the  want.  Every  department  of  work  was 
pervaded  by  the  spirit  of  evangelism.  The  numerous  re- 
vivals with  which  the  year  was  signalized  were  not  suf- 
fered to  be  spent  solely  in  religious  fervor  of  praise  and 
prayer,  but  coupled  with  these  were  exhibitions  of  benefi- 
cence that  rounded  out  Christian  character  and  life. 

In  the  southern  end  of  the  state  wonted  activity  was 
being  resumed.     In  the  drowned  district  the  people  were 


438  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

zealously  engaged  in  re-establishing  themselves.  Through 
aid  derived  from  many  sources  the  meeting-house  of  the 
lurst  Baptist  Church  of  Galveston  was  being  reared,  and 
throughout  the  district  inundated  in  1900,  church  buildings 
were  being  erected. 

In  this  onward  movement  the  Young  People's  work  was 
proving  to  be  a  powerful  factor.  More  than  two  hundred 
Unions  were  in  existence,  and  the  first  Encampment  was 
inviting  programme  and  the  novelty  of  a  seaside  convention, 
held  at  La  Porte  during  the  summer  of  this  year.  With  the 
it  was  largely  attended,  and  served  to  give  powerful  impetus 
to  the  work.  The  retirement  of  President  O.  H.  Cooper 
from  Baylor  University  and  the  acceptance  by  himself  of 
the  presidency  of  Simmons  College  resulted  in  the  selection 
of  Professor  S.  P.  Brooks  of  the  Baylor  faculty  as  his  suc- 
cessor. 

Some  estimate  of  the  vastness  of  the  work  of  the  Con- 
vention during  the  year  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that 
as  many  as  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  workers  were  en- 
gaged throughout  the  State. 

There  was  no  region  of  the  State  left  untouched.  Allied 
to  the  work  of  the  State  Board  was  every  other  interest. 
Commensurate  wath  the  growth  of  State  Missions  were 
those  of  Home  and  Foreign.  In  regions  where  such  claims 
were  never  before  presented  they  were  at  this  time  urged, 
'^riiousands  of  Baptists  had  their  visions  enlarged  during 
the  year. 

The  denomination  suffered  the  loss  of  two  most  valua- 
ble ministers  during  1902,  Rev.  F.  M.  Law,  D.D.,  died  early 
in  the  year  at  Belton.  For  forty-three  years  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  ministry  of  the  State.  He  was  in  many 
ways  a  very  strong  man,  but  in  nothing  stronger  than  in 
character.  No  one  was  more  identified  with  the  educational 
progress  of  the  denomination  in  Texas.  For  a  full  quarter 
century  he  was  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Baylor 
Female  College.  During  all  that  period  he  was  a  conspicu- 
ous figure  in  the  State  Convention.  His  clear  discrimina- 
tion in  business  affairs,  his  poise  of  judgment  and  his  keen 
conscientiousness  made  him  a  safe  and  valuable  member  of 
the  body  in  its  vicissitudes,  in  many  of  which  he  was  a 


A    PEEIOD    OF    PEOSPEEITY  439 

prominent  sharer.  His  death  was  a  sad  blow  to  the  Con- 
vention. The  judgment  of  no  one  was  oftener  sought. 
The  denomination  found  dehght  in  honoring  so  worthy  and 
trustful  a  servant  as  F.  M.  Law. 

Allusion  has  already  been  made  in  passing  to  the  death 
of  Rev.  J.  C.  Gentry.  He  was  the  embodiment  of  consecra- 
tion and  worked  often  under  physical  pain.  In  his  frail 
body  was  a  soul  on  fire  for  the  salvation  of  the  people. 
Long  a  favorite  general  missionary  of  the  Board,  his  death 
occasioned  a  serious  gap  when  it  seemed  that  he  could  ill 
be  spared.  As  he  came  within  sight  of  the  glory  which 
awaited  him,  the  soul  of  the  dying  saint  burst  into  song,  and 
just  before  his  eyes  closed  in  death  he  sang:  "I  am  a  Child 
of  the  King." 

The  Missionary  Baptist  Association  had  its  first  year  of 
activity  in  the  field.  The  method  of  procedure  took  com- 
plexion from  the  atmosphere  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and 
Herald.  The  interest  fostered  by  the  Convention  was 
sought  everywhere  to  be  disparaged.  The  Association  en- 
gaged forty  workers  for  all  or  part  of  their  time.  The  sec- 
ond annual  session  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Association 
was  held  at  Jacksonville,  and  began  its  sessions  on  August 
5,  1902.  There  was  a  representation  of  three  hundred  and 
twelve  churches.  W.  H.  Parks  was  chosen  president,  J.  K. 
P.  Williams  and  H.  B.  Pender,  vice-presidents ;  L.  L.  Sams, 
recording  secretary,  and  J.  M.  Newburn,  corresponding- 
secretary.  A  collection  in  cash  and  pledges  was  taken  by 
Secretary  Newburn,  resulting  in  $3,000  in  cash  and  pledges 
to  liquidate  the  indebtedness  of  the  Board.  The  report  of 
the  Board  of  Missions  outlined  the  difficulties  encountered 
in  the  prosecution  of  the  work,  and  deplored  the  abuse  of 
the  confidence  of  the  people  and  churches  by  those  not  co- 
operating with  the  Missionary  Association.  The  policy  of 
the  Board  was  announced  as  one  of  economy,  and  gave  as 
its  purpose  "to  plant  down  the  state  with  orthodox 
churches,"  and  the  Board  insisted  that  it  could  not  "aid 
them  in  wicked  extravagance."  The  number  of  baptisms 
reported  was  639.  Twenty-two  churches  were  organized 
and  thirty-four  Sunday  schools.     In  an  appeal  for  the  pro- 


440  lllS'l'Oia'    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

motion  for  the  work  for  next  year  a  collection  in  cash  and 
pledges  was  taken,  amounting-  to  $2,064. 

The  Baptist  General  Convention  met  in  annual  session 
on  November  7th  at  Waco.  There  was  no  delay  in  organiz- 
ing by  the  election  by  acclamation  of  R.  C.  Buckner,  presi- 
dent; Fred  W.  Freeman,  Geo.  W.  Carroll,  and  W,  B.  Den- 
son,  vice-presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and  F.  M.  McCon- 
nell,  recording  secretaries. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Carroll  had  recently  resigned  the  pastorate 
of  the  First  Church  at  Waco  to  accept  the  financial  secre- 
taryship of  the  Education  Commission,  charged  with  the 
special  work  of  procuring  an  endowment  for  Baylor  Uni- 
versity. Provision  was  made  early  in  the  session  for  the 
presentation  of  this  supreme  claim. 

Around  the  reading  of  the  report  of  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors, or  really  of  the  Superintendent  of  Missions,  J.  B. 
Gambrell,  centered  the  interest  of  the  body.  The  extensive 
work  already  indicated  was  reviewed  in  an  elaborate  and 
tiirilling  report.  From  all  Cjuarters  of  the  State  reports  of 
the  work  had  been  gathered  and  the  aggregate  amount  col- 
lected was  $64,238.15.  But  this  represents  only  a  part  of 
the  immense  work  accomplished.  Every  item  of  the  work 
was  passed  in  review.  Adopting  the  phrase  of  the  region  of 
the  ranch  "the  round  up"  of  the  year's  work  was  especially 
and  thrillingly  commented  on.  Up  to  within  three  months 
of  the  meeting  of  the  Convention,  only  about  $15,000  of 
the  amount  needed  to  be  able  to  go  to  the  Convention  free 
of  debt,  had  been  received.  Fifty  thousand  dollars  more 
had  to  be  collected  within  three  months,  and  that  in  the 
face  of  a  disastrous  crop  year.  It  is  to  the  everlasting 
credit  of  the  denomination  that  within  that  brief  period  the 
contributions  exceeded  $50,000.  Nor  were  there  any  con- 
siderable gifts.  The  amounts  came  in  many  instances  in 
dribbles,  but  the  many  made  the  much. 

It  had  really  become  a  joy  to  Texas  Baptists  to  give.  In 
the  afternoon  of  the  first  day  of  the  Convention  session, 
there  was  a  demand  for  increased  contribution  to  the  church 
building  fund,  and  J.  M.  Gaddy,  a  master  of  assemblies  on 
an  occasion  like  this,  was  asked  to  present  that  claim.  In 
his  inimitable  wav  it  was  done,  and  within  fifteen  minutes 


A    PERIOD    OF    PROSPERITY  441 

$1,038.80  was  taken.  After  the  visitors  had  been  received, 
pastors  who  had  been  settled  in  the  State  were  in  turn  in- 
troduced, and  were  greeted  by  the  body.  These  included, 
A.  J.  Holt  of  Nacogdoches,  who  had  recently  returned 
from  Tennessee ;  Forrest  Smith,  of  Sherman ;  Carroll 
Smith,  of  Navasota;  W.  B.  McGarrity,  of  Hillsboro;  E.  A. 
Burton,  of  Rusk;  J.  H.  Boyet,  of  Sulphur  Springs;  W.  S. 
Walker,  of  Lampasas;  E.  D.  Solomon,  of  Kaufman;  C.  E. 
King,  of  Wharton ;  C.  W.  Chadwick,  of  Honey  Grove,  and 
J.  A.  Howard,  as  a  representative  of  The  Baptist  Standard. 

The  pastoral  force  and  efficiency  of  the  State  had  been 
greatly  strengthened  by  these  fresh  accessions.  Great  was 
the  faith  of  the  large  body  when  at  the  close  of  the  first 
day,  pledges  were  given  to  the  amount  of  $60,530  for  Bay- 
lor University.  The  promptness  and"  spontaneity  with 
which  the  members  gave  was  a  matter  of  wonder  to  the 
distinguished  visitors  present,  every  one  of  whom  declared 
that  he  had  never  seen  people  give  like  Texas  Baptists. 

The  second  morning  of  the  session  was  saddened  by  the 
news  of  a  brutal  assault  having  been  made  on  one  of  the 
pastors  of  the  State.    A  brief  letter  was  read  as  follows : 

"Lewisville,  Texas,  Nov.  6,  1902. 
"Rev.  J.  B.  CranfiU,  Waco  Texas. 

"My  Dear  Brother :  With  a  sad  heart  I  write  you  a  few 
lines.  On  November  4,  between  4  and  5  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  I  was  attacked  by  a  mob  of  saloon  men  in  the 
street,  and  was  beaten  almost  to  death.  My  face  is  beaten 
almost  to  a  jelly,  and  my  nose  broken,  besides  other  serious 
bruises.  My  sufferings  are  great,  but  I  count  it  all  joy. 
PVay  for  me.  May  God  give  you  the  greatest  Convention 
ever  known.  Your  brother, 

"A.  J.  Wharton." 

At  the  same  time  news  came  of  the  serious  illness  of 
Rev.  Geo.  W.  McDaniel.  Prayer  was  oft'ered  for  these  two 
brethren,  after  which  the  Convention  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  J.  D.  Ray,  from  the  text :  "The  redemption  that  is 
in  Christ  Jesus."  At  the  close  of  the  thrilling  sermon,  the 
spiritual  power  which  had  been  gathering  from  the  begin- 
ning broke  forth  into  exultant  and  triumphant  praise. 


442  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS   BAPTISTS 

One  phase  of  the  work  of  the  denomination  which  has 
hitherto  received  only  occasional  notice  in  this  narrative, 
had  become  in  many  ways  one  of  the  most  frnitful  sources 
of  good,  and  that  is,  Woman's  Work.  During  the  year 
which  closed  at  this  time,  their  contributions  amounted  to 
$14,271.68. 

At  the  first  meeting  of"  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
Convention,  which  meeting  was  attended  by  the  usual  de- 
votional spirit,  it  was  resolved  to  project  the  work  of  the 
ensuing  year  on  a  basis  of  $75,000,  a  distinct  advance  on 
the  amount  appropriated  the  year  before.  The  increase  in 
these  appropriations  from  year  to  year  was  a  fair  index  to 
the  expansion  of  the  w^ork.  Not  that  the  amount  named 
was  sufficient  to  meet  the  varied  demands  of  the  work,  but 
it  was  an  amount  that  could  be  raised  w'ith  safety  to  the 
churches,  and  could  be  placed  to  the  greatest  good  in  the 
broadening  sphere  of  the  operations  of  the  Board. 

The  usual  routine  of  activity  continued  unbroken.  Spe- 
cial attention  was  devoted  to  the  eastern  and  western  sides 
of  the  State.  The  conditions  in  each  were  quite  dififerent, 
and  care  was  had  to  assign  to  employment,  in  these  opposite 
regions,  men  exactly  suited  thereto.  In  eastern  Texas  was 
a  staider  population,  the  ancestors  of  wdiich  had  been  there 
from  the  beginning  of  Texas  as  a  state,  and  some  even  be- 
fore; but  it  was  in  need  of  evangelization  to  reach  the  un- 
churched masses,  and  to  stimulate  many  churches  which 
had  long  been  at  a  standstill.  Vast  additions  had  been 
added  to  the  population  during  the  recent  years,  and  it  had 
become  an  inviting  field  to  the  evangelist.  Much  of  the 
force  of  the  Board  was  expended  during  1903  in  that 
region. 

In  western  Texas  the  population  was  comparatively 
new.  Over  a  vast  area,  and  along  an  extensive  region,  a 
new  population  had  settled.  Homes  were  multiplying,  new 
towns  springing  up,  and  those  which  had  been  previously 
established  were  rapidly  growing.  No  field  was  more  allur- 
ing to  the  preacher  of  the  masses.  It  was  represented  by 
Kipling's  well  known  verse,  ''The  far-flung  battle-line." 
which  was  used  by  Secretary  Gambrell  in  description  of  it. 

Then,  too,  southern  Texas  was  assuming  commanding 


A    PEKIOD    OF    PKOSPEKITY  443 

proportions.  The  wrecks  of  the  flood  and  storm  of  1900 
were  rapidly  giving  place  to  an  animating  scene.  The 
•value  of  land  was  increasing,  orchards  of  fruit  were 
being  planted,  sugar  plantations  were  multiplying,  truck 
farming  expanding,  and  the  production  of  rice  was  ad- 
vancing annually.  Galveston  was  emerging  from  wreck 
and  ruin,  and  the  plucky  city  beside  the  sea  was  becoming 
itself  again.  Three  years  had  wrought  a  wondrous  change 
in  this  once  desolated  region.  No  time  was  to  be  lost  by 
the  State  Board  in  keeping  pace  with  the  fresh  develop- 
ment of  that  section. 

The  new  conventional  year  brought  with  it  new  diffi- 
culty. The  boll  weevil  was  at  its  worst,  and  the  cotton 
crop  was  otherwise  affected,  while  the  cattle  market  was 
greatly  depressed.  On  these  two  elements  the  State  Board 
was  reliant,  through  the  churches,  for  its  revenue.  To  raise 
$10,000  more  for  State  Alissions  than  was  ever  before  at- 
tempted, and  that,  too,  in  the  face  of  the  most  unconjec- 
tured  conditions,  put  any  other  than  a  pleasant  aspect  on 
affairs.  But  there  was  universal  confidence,  and  no  abate- 
ment of  conventional  operation.  ]\Ien  worked  on  as  serenely  as 
though  the  large  amount  was  already  within  sight.  In  truth, 
the  Baptists  had  become  so  accustomed  to  apparent  reverses, 
that  they  felt  ready  to  ply  the  oar  with  renewed  vigor  as 
the  storm  deepened.  It  was  at  such  a  time  as  this  that  The 
Baptist  Standard  did  its  best  work.  Its  pages  fairly  beamed 
with  radiant  hopefulness  and  words  of  cheer.  Editor  Cran- 
fill  did  the  best  work  of  his  life  in  these  repeated  junctures 
into  which  the  denomination  was  brought.  With  him  at 
the  head  of  the  paper,  and  Doctor  J.  B.  Gambrell  leading 
the  forces  on  the  field,  by  timely  suggestions  and  word  of 
encouragement,  reinforced  by  two  such  coadjutors  as  Geo. 
W.  Truett  and  C.  C.  Slaughter,  success  always  seemed  in- 
evitable. 

One  of  the  elements  attending  the  successful  work  of  the 
year  was  that  of  the  free  use  of  literature.  The  people 
sought  information,  and  it  came.  It  was  by  this  means  that 
the  hopelessly  antagonistic  elements  in  the  churches  were 
eliminated.  The  theory  of  associational  co-operation  was 
rapidly   assuming   practical   shape    in    a   most   satisfactory 


444  lll8T0K\r    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

manner.  Associations  capable  of  caring  for  their  own 
local  destitution  were  multiplying.  Many  of  the  district  as- 
sociations were  doing  colportage  work,  some  with  wagons, 
going  from  house  to  house,  to  dispense  wholesome  litera- 
ture. 

The  demand  for  energetic  work  w^as  one  of  the  most 
hopeful  signs  of  the  times.  Besides  the  local  and  general 
missionaries,  men  gifted  in  evangelism  were  employed,  and 
the  richest  results  ensued.  In  all,  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
nine  men  were  engaged  by  the  Board  in  different  quarters 
of  the  State.  As  a  result  of  this,  a  little  less  than  ten  thou- 
sand people  w^ere  received  into  the  Baptist  churches  of 
Texas  during  the  year  of  1903.  During  the  same  period, 
one  hundred  and  fourteen  churches,  and  four  hundred  and 
nineteen  Sunday  schools  were  organized  in  connection  with 
the  Board.  Where  there  was  a  work  so  aggressive  and 
wholesome,  aid  was  frequently  obtained  with  ease.  In  not 
a  few  instances  the  owners  of  saw  mills  would  give  suffi- 
cient lumber  to  build  or  repair  churches,  and  a  railroad 
would  greatly  reduce  the  rate  of  transportation.  It  was 
estimated  by  the  Secretary  of  the  State  Board  that  the 
church  lots  secured,  meeting  houses  repaired  and  built,  in 
connection  with  the  work  of  the  Board,  amounted  to  $67,- 
091.85. 

In  the  early  part  of  1903  the  two  great  educational 
buildings,  which  were  the  gifts  of  F.  L.  and  Geo.  W.  Car- 
roll, were  appropriately  dedicated.  The  occasion  was  one 
of  the  most  notalale  ever  held  in  the  State.  The  ceremonies 
continued  through  several  days,  beginning  with  a  sermon 
of  dedication  by  Doctor  B.  H.  Carroll  on  Sunday.  Distin- 
guished educators  from  Texas  and  other  states  were  pres- 
ent, and  delivered  addresses.  Among  the  visitors  was  presi- 
dent Wm.  R.  Harper,  of  Chicago  University. 

The  thirteenth  annual  session  of  .the  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union  was  held  again  this  year  at  La  Porte.  R. 
H.  Coleman,  who  had  been  president  for  seven  successive 
years,  was  again  elected.  A  striking  programme  was  exe- 
cuted through  a  period  of  two  w^eeks,  and  representatives 
from  every  part  of  the  State  served  to  impart  fresher  mo- 


A    PEEIOD    OF    PEOSPERITY  445 

mentum,  which  was  gradually  reaching  all  the  churches  of 
the  State. 

The  Texas  Baptist  IMissionary  Association  proceeded 
in  its  work  on  no  stipulated  financial  basis,  but  relied  on  the 
revenue  that  might  be  derived  from  the  field.  The  churches 
belonging  to  the  body  were  generally  poor,  according  to  the 
report  made  this  year  by  the  Board  of  Missions,  and  were 
not  prepared  to  make  a  large  financial  exhibit.  It  was 
clearly  evident  that  working  on  a  basis  so  restricted,  both 
as  to  finances  and  to  accessible  territory,  such  an  exhibit 
was  impossible.'  In  some  instances,  the  field  sought  to  be 
occupied  by  the  Missionary  Association  and  the  State  Con- 
vention overlapped,  so  as  to  bring  the  missionaries  of  each 
into  contact,  if  not  conflict,  wnth  the  advantage  invariably 
in  favor  of  the  representatives  of  the  Convention.  Each 
year  witnessed  the  increased  withdrawal  of  members  from 
the  Missionary  Association,  who  returned  to  the  Conven- 
tion. This  ratio  of  returning  members  increased  with  the 
years. 

When  the  Missionary  Association  met  in  Dallas,  in  1903, 
the  meagerness  of  the  report  represented  more  appeals  for 
aid  than  the  report  of  work  rendered.  W.  H.  Parks  was 
again  made  president,  while  H.  Y.  Lively  and  A.  D.  Brooks 
were  elected  vice-presidents,  L.  L.  Sams  and  W.  E.  Tynes 
were  made  recording  secretaries,  and  J.  M.  Newburn  and 
S.  J.  Anderson  corresponding  secretaries.  There  was  pres- 
ent at  this  session  of  the  Missionary  Association,  A.  J.  Diaz, 
of  Cuba,  who  for  strong  and  sufficient  reasons  had  been 
retired  from  the  employment  of  the  Home  Mission  Board 
of  the  Southern  Convention,  and  who  was  now  seeking  to 
retain  some  hold  on  the  work  in  Cuba.  A  malcontent,  Diaz 
sought  sympathy  at  the  hands  of  the  Missionary  Associa- 
tion. 

The  report  of  the  Board  was  that  fifty  missionaries  had 
been  employed  and  that  thirty-eight  churches  and  forty- 
four  Sunday  schools  had  been  organized.  There  had  been 
received,  during  the  year,  fifteen  hundred  and  ninety-five 
by  baptism  and  letter,  and  contributions  for  all  purposes 
amounted  to  $17,385.17.  Somewhat  like  $8,000  was 
pledged  for  the  support  of  the  Board  for  the  following  year. 


44 G  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Several  thousand  dollars  was  also  pledged  to  the  school  at 
Jacksonville. 

The  spirit  of  the  body  may  be  seen  from  an  extract  of 
the  report  on  State  Missions  read  by  S.  J.  Anderson :  "The 
great  amount  of  money  reported  as  State  Mission  funds  by 
the  Corresponding  vSccretary  of  the  general  convention  (Dr. 
Gambrcll)  is  largely  money  paid  out  to  line  up  churches, 
or  to  pay  pastors  to  preach  to  the  lioard  Party  contingent 
of  churches  they  have  divided." 

As  many  as  five  hundred  churches  were  represented,  not 
on  a  financial  basis,  but  purely  as  representatives  of 
churches. 

Throughout  the  State,  the  work  of  the  Convention  was 
prospering.  Every  department  was  instinct  with  life.  Two 
lumdred  and  fifty-nine  representatives  of  the  Board  were 
distributed  throughout  Texas. 

Great  meetings  were  being  held  in  city  and  country 
alike.  Along  the  frontiers,  among  the  ranchmen  and  cow- 
boys, and  in  the  eastern  region  among  the  mills  and  lumber- 
men, great  headway  was  being  made,  as  well  as  among  the 
farmers  of  the  rural  regions  and  the  congregations  of  the 
city.  More  than  nine  thousand  people  were  brought  into 
the  Baptist  churches  of  the  State  during  the  year  through 
the  preaching  of  the  workers  of  the  Board.  Nor  does  this 
include  the  large  number  who  came  in  through  meetings 
held  in  the  organized  churches. 

Alongside  this  were  other  interests  flourishing.  J.  M. 
Carroll,  the  financial  secretary  of  the  Education  Commis- 
sion, raised  $50,000  for  endowment  during  the  year.  Valua- 
ble additions  were  made  to  the  museums  of  the  University, 
and  everyone  seemed  to  have  a  mind  to  work.  Baylor  Uni- 
versity sustained  the  loss  of  Doctor  R.  N.  Barrett,  by  death. 
He  was  a  skilled  educator,  and  a  man  of  gentle  spirit  and 
pure  heart.  Doctor  J.  H.  Luther  had  also  died  during  the 
year.  For  a  long  period  he  was  connected  with  the  Baptist 
institutions  of  the  State,  and  for  many  years  was  the  hon- 
ored and  beloved  president  of  Baylor  Eemale  College,  both 
at  Independence  and  at  Belton.  Rev.  Doctor  E.  A.  Cranfill, 
father  of  Doctor  J.  B.  Cranfill  and  Doctor  T.  E.  Cranfill,  of 
Waco,  died  at  Waco  while  the  Convention  was  in  session 


A    PEEIOD    OF    PROSPERITY  447 

at  Dallas.  Doctor  Cranfill  was  for  decades  connected  with 
the  work  on  the  frontier. 

The  Fifty-fifth  annual  session  of  the  Convention  was 
held  at  Dallas,  in  November,  1903.  In  organizing  R.  C. 
Biickner  was  again  made  president;  D.  I.  Smyth,  C.  F. 
Greenwood,  and  K.  K.  Leggett,  were  chosen  vice-presidents, 
and  A.  E.  Baten  and  F.  M.  McConnell  secretaries.  There 
was  timely  reason  for  President  R.  C.  Buckner  to  say  among 
other  things  on  assuming"  the  gavel : 

''We  are  not  here  to  legislate  for,  or  to  dictate  to,  the 
churches.  This  body  stands  unflinchingly  for  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  churches.  This  body  has  no  ecclesiastical 
power.  By  divine  authority,  that  belongs  exclusively  to  the 
churches  of  Jesus  Christ,  each  church  for  itself,  and  this 
Convention  is  neither  a  church  nor  a  conglomeration  of 
churches.  A  Baptist  church  of  a  half  dozen  members,  wor- 
shiping in  a  log  school-house,  at  the  cross-roads,  is  sov- 
ereign under  Christ,  and  it  can  neither  surrender  its  sover- 
eignity, nor  blend  it  with  that  of  others.  It  can  ordain 
preachers  and  administer  ordinances,  but  this  Convention 
cannot.  The  commission  was  given  to  the  churches,  not 
to  any  Association  or  Convention.  *  *  *  But  the  Con- 
vention can  materially  aid  in  opening  up  new  fields,  and 
in  encouraging  and  supporting  the  preachers,  that  the 
churches  themselves  have  ordained.  *  "^  *  You  are 
here,  brethren,  as  a  great  educational  and  missionary  so- 
ciety, composed,  not  of  churches,  but  of  messengers  from 
the  churches,  and  from  their  smaller  missionary  societies, 
such  as  are  in  harmony  and  in  co-operation  with  its  plans 
and  purposes." 

The  annual  report  of  the  Texas  Baptist  Education  Com- 
mission deplored  the  failure  of  many  first-class  subscriptions 
to  the  endowment  to  materialize,  but  from  all  sources,  the 
Commission  had  received  during  the  year  $60,000.  The 
matter  of  pressing  the  endowment  to  $125,000  in  order  to 
secure  the  conditional  amount  of  $35,000  from  John  D. 
Rockefeller,  was  urged. 

The  review  of  the  year's  work  by  Doctor  Gambrell  in 
the  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Directors  was  a  blast  of 
great  enthusiasm.     As  the  substance  of  that  work  has  al- 


448  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

ready  been  commented  on,  it  will  not  be  repeated  here. 
Great  stress  was  laid  on  the  fact  that  Texas  is  an  immense 
mission  field  on  which  the  ends  of  the  earth  had  met.  The 
geographical  location  of  the  State  gave  it  advantages  for  the 
future  that  were  unspeakable. 

Among  the  announcements  made  by  the  report  of  the 
president  of  Baylor  University,  was  the  fact  that  a  bronze 
statue  would  soon  be  erected  by  the  friends  of  the  late 
Doctor  Rufus  C.  Burleson,  on  the  campus  of  that  institu- 
tion. The  matter  of  the  Baptist  Sanitarium,  to  be  located 
at  Dallas,  was  introduced  into  the  Convention,  in  a  series 
of  resolutions  by  Geo.  W.  Truett. 

This  great  institution,  wdiich,  as  this  chronicle  is  penned, 
is  nearing  a  glorious  completion,  was  first  suggested  by  R. 
C.  Buckner  and  J.  B.  Cranfill,  in  the  order  named.  The 
Baptist  Standard,  while  Dr.  Cranfill  was  its  editor,  pub- 
lished a  number  of  editorials  in  which  the  great  need  for 
a  Baptist  Sanitarium  was  vigorously  voiced.  Meantime, 
George  W.  Truett  in  his  pastoral  work  in  Dallas  had 
reached  the  conclusion  that  an  institution  of  this  sort  was 
absolutely  needed  if  the  Baptists  of  Texas  would  remain 
true  to  their  trust.  C.  C.  vSlaughter  seconded  the  motion  in 
a  most  vigorous  financial  way  by  agreeing  to  give  $25,000  to 
the  institution  to  be  paid  wdienever  as  much  as  $100,000  had 
been  raised.  It  was  thus'  that  one  of  the  most  momentous 
movements  in  the  history  of  Texas  Baptists  was  inaugu- 
rated. George  W.  Truett,  while  one  of  the  busiest  pastors  in 
the  United  States,  and  while  burdened  with  many  taxing 
cares  and  duties,  has,  under  God,  been  the  chief  factor  in 
the  promition  of  this  enterprise.  More  than  the  blood  of 
any  other  man  has  his  blood  been  put  into  the  Texas  Bap- 
tist Memorial  Sanitarium.  C.  C.  Slaughter,  as  treasurer  of 
the  Board,  and  as  financial  mentor  of  the  movement,  has 
stood  by  the  institution  with  unselfish  devotion,  while  the 
other  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  the  denomina- 
tion at  large  have  not  been  lacking  in  their  interest  concern- 
ing this  important  work. 

Woman's  Work  was  prosecuted  with  vigor  as  the  Bap- 
tist women   shared   in   all   denominational   work,   and   held 


A    PERIOD    OF    PROSPERITY  449 

their  meetings  a  day  or  two  prior  to  the  annual  sessions  of 
the  Convention.  Their  contriljutions  for  1903  amounted  to 
$23,955.06.  Local  organizations  were  being  established 
throughout  the  State,  and  the  work  done  was  pervaded  by 
the  same  enthusiasm  with  which  the  denomination  was  per- 
vaded throughout. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE    I'KOSl'ECT    BROAIJENS. 

We  are  coming  to  the  close  of  our  narrative.  Three 
years  more  of  the  record  of  deeds  of  Texas  Baptists  re- 
main to  be  presented.  The  consecrated  interests  and  energy 
of  the  Baptist  hosts  had  been  awakened  throughout  the 
state,  and  that  which  had  been  done  had  only  revealed  how 
much  there  was  still  to  do.  We  have  seen  the  marvelously 
eventful  periods  through  which  the  denomination  has  come. 
The  difficulties  encountered  were  such  as  Christianity  had 
wrestled  with  through  the  ages.  Serious  gaps  and  breaches 
had  been  made  in  the  ranks,  as  giant  soldiers  had  fallen, 
but  others  had  risen  up  to  take  their  places.  Disturbances 
had  shocked  the  columns  at  different  times,  but  these  had 
been  followed  by  a  wholesome  sloughing  away,  thus  leav- 
ing the  denomination  unburdened,  or  else  those  dissatisfied 
had  manfully  returned.  But  in  any  event,  the  movement 
had  been  a  forward  one.  Occasionally  ebbs  have  come  with 
the  flow,  but  like  the  evening  tide  along  the  strand,  the 
ascent  has  been  gradual  and  ever  upward.  All  the  elements 
that  enter  into  the  romantic  and  heroic  in  struggle,  have 
attended  the  march  of  the  Baptists  in  Texas  to  a  higher 
ideal  of  denominational  life.  But  little  of  the  dainty  and 
flamboyant  has  ever  characterized  Texas  Baptists.  Both 
the  conditions  of  struggle,  in  a  wide  and  growing  domain, 
and  the  indisposition  of  the  practical  elements  coming  into 
their  ranks,  forbade  these.  The  conditions  of  struggle  had 
varied,  as  the  cause  has  developed  from  the  roughness  and 
rawness  of  pioneer  life ;  but  it  had  been  a  struggle  from 
the  close  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  centurv  till 
now. 

The  struggle  in  the  beginning  was  with  the  harsher 
side  of  primitive  conditions  in  a  fresh  region  of  country; 

450 


THE    PEOSPECT    BROADENS  451 

but  this  gave  way  to  other  struggles,  varying  with  the  shift- 
ing phases  of  a  developing  civilization.  In  these  later  years, 
the  struggle  has  been  one  of  dissatisfaction  with  existing 
conditions,  so  long  as  so  much  remained  to  be  done.  Great 
accomplishments  have  begotten  a  hunger  and  thirst  for 
greater  ones.  It  was  in  this  condition  that  the  year  1904 
found  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  Theirs  is  a  stupendous  sys- 
tem which  represents  all  the  elements  that  enter  into  re- 
ligious endeavor.  The  backbone  of  the  system  is  State 
Missions,  while  in  its  congenial  correlation  with  every  other 
branch  of  service  both  give  help  to  each  other,  and  each  de- 
rives aid  in  return.  The  agency  of  man  never  devised  a 
more  harmonious  system.  The  result  is  not  so  much  cen- 
tralization as  it  is  generalization.  The  sap  of  life  which 
penetrates  the  trunk  reaches  to  the  utmost  boundary  of 
root  and  twig  and  leaf.  It  required  a  long  time  for  this 
condition  to  be  attained,  but  when  once  harmonized  and 
centered,  it  becomes  just  as  difficult  to  undo  it. 

This  gives  a  self-centered  power  to  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  Baptists  in  Texas.  With  the  boundless  possibilities 
before  them,  the  immense  material  resources  at  command, 
the  devout  loyalty  which  sways  them,  and  the  varied  ability 
at  their  disposal,  no  one  can  safely  predict  whereunto  the 
denomination  will  attain.  The  astonishing  ratio  of  increase, 
alike  in  numbers  and  facilities,  puts  utterly  beyond  the  reach 
of  calculation  the  possible  achievements  of  the  Baptists  in 
this  state  in  the  years  to  come. 

The  year  began  well.  The  sum  of  $80,000  was  a  tre- 
mendous one,  relatively  speaking,  for  a  body  of  Christians 
to  name  for  expenditure  in  any  one  state,  for  a  period  of 
twelve  months.  But  the  manner  of  the  procedure  in  mak- 
ing the  appropriation  was  just  as  remarkable.  Not  a  dol- 
lar of  this  money  had  been  collected ;  there  was  not  the 
promise  of  a  cent  made;  yet,  with  the  coolness  with  which 
a  military  campaign  would  be  projected,  with  the  amplest 
means  at  command,  was  this  work  done.  Reduced  to  cold 
business  calculation,  it  would  have  been  ridiculed  by  any 
body  of  promoters  or  capitalists  in  the  world.  The  deriva- 
tion of  this  vast  sum  was  dependent  on  the  free  will  offer- 
ings of  a  people   scattered  over  an  expansive  face  of  coun- 


452  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

try.  I'^or  several  years  the  seasons  had  been  unpropitious, 
and  the  yield  of  the  earth  scant.  Only  the  year  before,  un- 
usual and  unlooked-for  disasters  had  attended  the  products 
on  which  this  same  body  of  Christians  was  dependent;  and 
yet  when  the  unerring  finger  of  Providence  pointed  the  way 
of  action,  by  opening  up  inviting  fields,  the  Board  of  Di- 
rectors, acting  in  compliance  with  the  ])rinciple  which  had 
been  the  buoy  and  hope  of  God's  people  in  all  ages  past, 
went  forward  as  though  the  voice  of  Jehovah  had  rung  in 
audible  accent  from  the  heavens,  commanding  an  advance. 
Faith  in  God  was  the  sovereign  principle  which  actuated 
and  propelled  this  body  of  men  setting  out  for  the  future. 
The  faith  of  Abraham  was  theirs.  Just  as  the  patriarch  of 
Uz  of  the  Chaldees  plucked  up  his  tent  poles,  and  started, 
not  knowing  whither  he  was  going,  but  going  because  God 
said  so,  even  did  these  consecrated  men  proceed  under  God, 
not  seeing  the  end  from  the  outset.  The  faith  of  the  one 
was  that  of  the  other. 

Men  are  employed,  salaries  named,  fields  indicated  in 
which  they  are  to  operate,  and  yet  there  is  not  a  dollar  in 
the  treasury.  God  was  honored  by  a  faith  like  this,  and  we 
shall  come  to  see  how  God,  in  return,  honored  the  faith  of 
his  people.  Two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  persons  were  em- 
ployed and  set  to  work.  In  city  and  in  country  alike,  on  the 
plains  of  the  broadening  west  among  the  ranchmen  and 
cowboys ;  in  the  woods  of  the  east,  amidst  the  swishes  of 
the  lumber  saws ;  along  the  railway  lines  of  the  interior, 
where  the  populations  were  gathering ;  among  the  people  of 
strange  tongues,  who  had  spread  themselves  over  the  fertile 
plains,  apart  from  native  Americans ;  along  the  shores  of 
the  south,  where  polyglot  peoples  had  come  with  little  or 
no  knowledge  of  the  gospel — ;everywhere,  men  were  sent 
charged  with  the  duty  of  preaching,  praying,  visiting,  dis- 
tributing Bibles  and  other  books,  and  meeting  the  demands 
of  every  peculiar  locality. 

The  system  was  an  enormous  one,  the  undertaking  tre- 
mendous, the  labor  onerous,  the  fatigue  incalculable.  But 
with  joy  and  alacrity  it  was  done.  Soon  conditions  grew 
better  over  the  whole  face  of  the  land.  More  churches, 
more    individuals   were    contributino'    than    ever   before    in 


THE    PROSPECT    BROADENS  453 

Texas.  New  Testament  evangelism  was  revived,  and  was 
honored  of  God.  Pastors  were  as  arduous  workers  as  were 
the  revivaUsts  in  the  most  obscure  country  regions.  Never 
had  a  state  so  loyal  and  harmonious  a  body  of  pastors.  Cities 
in  which  the  cause  had  long  languished  were  aroused  to 
fresh  activity,  the  work  of  disintegration  arrested,  differ- 
ences and  difficulties  overcome,  and  the  cause  saved.  Nor 
was  greater  work  ever  wrought  by  the  printing  press.  The 
Baptist  Standard  stood  unfalteringly  for  the  constructive 
work  which  was  progressive.  Maligned  by  its  opponents 
and  obstructed  in  every  way  possible,  it  held  on  its  course 
serenely  and  dispassionately,  and  was  the  one  cohesive  ele- 
ment of  the  denomination  throughout.  Tlic  Baptist,  issued 
by  Editor  Hanks,  from  Abilene,  was  in  thorough  accord, 
and  was  a  beacon  light  on  the  high  plains  of  the  further 
west.  The  Young  People's  Union  and  the  thousands  of 
Sunday  schools  served  their  purposes  well,  and  swelled  the 
importance  of  the  forward  movement.  Such  conditions  as 
these  prevailed  throughout  the  State  in  1904.  It  distanced 
the  preceding  years  in  its  results  of  deepening  and  expand- 
ing the  cause  of  Jesus  Christ. 

In  another  and  distinct  sphere,  and  under  entirely  dif- 
ferent conditons,  was  the  Baptist  Missionary  Association 
operating.  That  it  had  in  its  ranks  many  good  people,  was 
true;  but  its  organ,  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,  was, 
seasoned  with  the  contention  and  bitterness  of  years,  and 
was  a  sower  of  strife  wherever  it  went.  That  those  people 
had  a  right  to  segregate  themselves,  and  to  avow  principles 
different  from  all  others,  cannot  be  questioned.  If  such 
were  their  views,  they  should  have  been  allowed  to  work 
along  lines  of  their  own  choice ;  but  that  their  organ  was  a 
mouthpiece  of  hostility,  was  most  unfortunate. 

People  may  so  busy  themselves  about  theory  as  to  over- 
look practice,  and  enunciate  in  repeated  strain,  principle, 
rather  than  emphasize  work.  Faith  in  a  given  course  is 
excellent;  but  without  work,  it  is  but  an  empty  shell.  To 
claim  the  loyalty  and  co-operation  of  five  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  churches,  and  of  thirty-four  of  the  hundred  associa- 
tions of  the  state,  as  was  done  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Baptist  Missionary  Association,  in  its  session  of  this  year, 


454  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

1904,  did  not  argue  so  much,  when  the  results  were  taken 
into  account.  To  do  just  what  others  do  not,  to  vary  for 
the  sake  of  variance,  settles  nothing,  any  more  than  individ- 
ual helief  makes  a  thing  true.  The  Missionary  Association 
had  in  its  employment  about  seventy  persons,  including  the 
two  secretaries  and  all  the  clerical  force.  Their  efforts 
were  necessarily  contracted,  as  their  means  were  limited. 
They  were  unable  to  make  any  considerable  headway,  and 
to  produce  any  great  impression,  and  gradually  valuable 
men  and  women,  misled  in  the  outset,  were  returning  to 
the  ranks  of  the  Convention.  Sober  second  thought,  and 
growing  enlightenment  were  not  in  the  favor  of  the  con- 
stituency of  the  Missionary  Association.  ]\Iany  were  grow- 
ing tired  of  the  artificial  excitement  which  comes  of  oppo- 
sition, and  when  light  came  to  their  sober  hearts,  they 
quietly  quit  the  ranks  of  the  much-vaunted  discovery  of 
error  in  the  Convention,  and  quietly  took  their  places  again 
in  the  ranks  of  the  constructive  workers. 

November  i,  1904,  found  the  Missionary  Association  in 
annual  session  at  Dallas.  W.  H.  Parks  was  again  chosen 
president  of  the  body,  and  H.  B.  Pender  and  J.  C.  Loggins 
vice-presidents,  while  L.  L.  Sams  was  made  recording  secre- 
tary. One  of  the  earliest  questions  pressed  before  the 
body  was  that  of  the  establishment  of  a  university  to  be 
operated  under  the  Association.  The  matter  had  already 
received  considerable  attention  in  the  early  part  of  the  year, 
but  action  was  delayed  until  the  general  body  should  meet. 
Jacksonville  College  was  already  fostered  by  the  Missionary 
Association,  and  for  the  needs  of  this  school  pledges  were 
given  at  this  session  to  the  amount  of  $2,055.  The  chief 
items  in  the  report  of  the  ^fission  Board  were  twelve  hun- 
dred and  sixty-seven  baptisms  during  the  year,  eleven  hun- 
dred and  twenty-nine  received  by  letter,  the  organization 
of  fifty-four  churches,  and  the  establishment  of  sixty-three 
Sunday  schools.  The  collections  for  State  Missions  aggre- 
gated $16,039.70,  while  the  expense  account  for  all  pur- 
poses was  in  excess  of  the  receipts.  A  collection  to  meet 
the  deficit  amounted  to  $2,974.20.  Pledges  to  maintain  the 
work  for  the  next  year  were  given  to  the  amount  of  $12,- 
955-75- 


THE    PEOSPECT    BEOADENS  455 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Hon.  George  W.  Carroll, 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  Baptist  laymen  in  Texas, 
was  this  year  honored  with  the  nomination  of  the  vice- 
presidency  on  the  national  ticket  of  the  Prohibition  Party. 
The  honor  was  unsought,  but  none  was  ever  more  worthily 
bestowed. 

Ten  days  following  the  meeting  of  the  General  Associa- 
tion, the  Baptist  General  Convention  met  in  Waco.  On  the 
first  day  there  was  an  enrollment  of  fifteen  hundred  names 
of  those  who  were  messengers.  The  body  was  promptly 
organized  by  choosing  by  acclamation  R.  C.  Buckner,  presi- 
dent ;  R.  H.  Hicks,  James  Young,  and  J.  M.  Carroll,  vice- 
presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and  F.  M.  McConnell  recording 
secretaries.  The  report  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  which 
showed  the  vast  work  done  during  the  year,  was  the  occa- 
sion of  great  rejoicing  and  fraternal  handshaking.  For  a 
considerable  time  the  great  body  abandoned  itself  to 
demonstrations  of  joy.  That  the  Board  was  able  to  declare 
itself  out  of  debt  after  an  unprecedented  expenditure  of 
$80,000  in  local  work,  occasioned  a  satisfaction  which 
thrilled  the  immense  body.  A  part  of  the  work  of  the  Board 
of  the  Convention  during  the  year,  was  represented  by  the 
reception  into  the  churches,  by  letter  and  baptism,  of  eleven 
thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-two  members ;  while  one 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  churches  and  one  hundred  and 
sixty-eight  Sunday  schools  had  been  organized.  Funds  for 
church  lots,  repairs  and  building,  amounted  to  $76,377.36. 
The  progress  made  showed  that  Texas  led  the  states  of  the 
South  in  State  and  Home  Missions,  while  it  was  third  in 
its  contributions  to  Foreign  Missions.  For  all  missions  com- 
bined, it  was  first.  These  items  include  the  contributions  of 
both  the  general  bodies — the  Missionary  Association  and 
the  Convention. 

When  the  matter  of  education  came  before  the  body 
for  consideration,  the  fact  was  emphasized  that  Baylor  Uni- 
versity was  in  great  need  of  endowment.  The  faculty  of 
the  school  had  suffered  the  loss  of  Doctor  B.  H.  Dement, 
who  had  become  the  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Waco. 
Ministerial  education  was  stressed  as  a  matter  of  permanent 
and   paramount   importance.     Both   the   summer   school   in 


456  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

the  I'liiversitv.  and  the  Theological  Training  School,  held 
during  the  summer,  were  mighty  forces  in  the  life  of  the 
denoiuination. 

I)aylor  College  for  girls,  at  Uelton.  had  been  tilled  dur- 
ing the  ])ast  season  to  overflowing,  and  was  calling  for  more 
room  with  which  to  accommodate  the  growing  demand. 
It  had  drawn  to  its  faculty  the  best  available  teaching  force, 
and  all  its  departments  were  well  equipped.  The  auxiliary 
schools  were  flourishing^,  and  giving  si.gns  of  healthy 
growth. 

At  this  time,  the  entire  country  was  interested  in  the 
approaching  Baptist  Pan-Congress  wdiich  was  to  assemble 
the  following  summer  in  London.  \\y  appropriate  resolu- 
tions this  movement  was  sanctioned  and  applauded  by  the 
Convention.-  and  s\-mpathy  was  expressed  in  behalf  of  the 
English  Baptists,  and  other  non-conformists  in  their  passive 
resistance  to  what  was  known  as  the  Education  Act.  The 
Convention  adopted  by  a  rising  vote  a  report  endorsing  the 
movement  to  found  a  Baptist  Sanitarium  at  Dallas,  which 
was  to  cost  $250,000.  This  was  the  first  practical  step 
taken  in  this  direction,  in  founding  in  the  Southwest,  one  of 
the  best  equipped  hospitals  in  the  world. 

A  characteristic  statement  was  made  by  Doctor  J.  B. 
Gambrell.  wdiich  embodies  much  history  relating  to  the  suit 
of  S.  A.  Hayden  against  certain  prominent  members  of  the 
Convention,  which  suit  had  been  dragging  its  harassing 
course  through  several  years.  From  the  statement  will  be 
derived  both  the  nature  and  the  results  of  a  terrible  ordeal 
imdergone  by  these  heroic  men.  Doctor  Gambrell  said  : 
"There  is  a  matter  of  deep  concern  to  the  brotherhood,  and 
especially  to  a  few  brethren  in  Dallas.  We  have  a  lawsuit 
on  hand,  touching  in  its  conditions  the  very  life  of  the  Con- 
vention. That  suit  has  gone  through  the  courts  from  the 
lowest  to  the  supreme  court  -of  the  State.  That  high  tri- 
bunal has  decided  that  this  Convention  has  a  right  to  deter- 
mine its  own  membership.  This  decision  is  far-reaching  in 
its  efTect  on  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  our  people.  To 
win  this  suit  has  cost  some  of  us  living  in  Dallas  much 
tribulation  and  thousands  of  dollars  in  money.  I  believe  you 
would  like  to  know  the  facts :  Bro.  Slaughter  has  paid  more 


THE    PEOSPECT    BROADENS  457 

than  anyone  else.  He  has  paid  into  the  thousands.  Bro. 
Cranfill  has  paid  the  next  largest  amount,  running  into 
thousands.  Bro.  Truett  and  I  have  paid  ahout  even 
amounts,  running  into  hundreds.  We  are  now  on  paper 
running  up  to  something  like  $3,000,  all  past  due.  The 
short  of  it  is,  unless  we  get  help,  two  little  Baptist  preachers 
will  be  mopped  off  the  slate,  financially.  We  will  pay  it,  if 
we  must;  but  we  have  thought  maybe  some  of  you  might 
feel  that  you  have  a  duty  to  perform.  And  if  you  do  so 
feel,  I  leave  you  to  do  what  seems  good  to  you."  In  re- 
sponse to  an  appeal  in  behalf  of  these  persecuted  men.  Doc- 
tor Jeff  D.  Ray  procured  an  offering  of  $3,551  with  which 
to  aid  in  meeting  the  expenses  of  the  suit. 

No  Convention  had  given  so  great  propulsion  to  the 
Baptist  cause  up  to  this  time,  as  the  one  held  in  Waco  in 
1904.  Within  the  Convention  the  harmony  was  ideal.  The 
disturbance  was  all  without,  and  arose  from  a  single  source 
which  had  afflicted  the  Baptists  for  years  together. 

Denominational  evolution  had  now  reached  that  stage 
where  it  was  evident  that  no  boundaries  could  safely  be  set 
to  its  prospect.  The  horizon  of  achievement  had  so  widened 
with  the  years,  that  contentment  with  prevailing  conditions 
had  ceased  to  prevail,  and  the  denomination  saw  no  halting- 
place  in  the  unending  outlook.  What  had  been  accom- 
plished had  been  done  by  dint  of  difficulty,  but  obstructions 
which  once  seemed  large,  had  dwindled  in  the  light  of  re- 
peated success.  Emboldened  by  the  past,  the  State  Board, 
for  the  next  conventional  year,  indicated  its  proposed  prog- 
ress, by  naming  $90,000  as  the  financial  budget  for  the  pe- 
riod extending  to  the  next  session  of  the  body.  It  was 
realized  that  so  large  an  amount  would  be  difficult  to  raise, 
but  the  Board  had  never  failed,  and  why  should  it  falter? 
An  advanced  amount  meant  heroic  progress.  A  rigid  econ- 
omy with  respect  to  every  cent  spent  had  been  one  of  the 
cardinal  principles  of  the  Board.  Extravagance  to  the  ex- 
tent of  even  a  dollar,  was  not  to  be  indulged.  Every  cent 
must  be  made  to  tell. 

There  was  a  great  moral  lesson  growing  out  of  the  nam- 
ing of  an  amount  so  large — while  it  would  enrich  the  king- 
dom of  God  in  the  outward  reaches  of  the  work,  it  would 


458  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

develop,  by  its  reaction,  the  characters  of  the  givers.  More 
than  that,  it  was  addressing  itself  to  the  stern  business  men 
of  the  churches,  as  meaning  something.  To  dawdle  with  a 
paltry  sum,  and  move  in  a  contracted  sphere  year  by  year, 
deadens  the  force  of  the  individual,  of  the  church,  the  asso- 
ciation, the  convention.  God  is  a  God  of  ])rogress.  The 
providential  hand  is  ever  reaching  into  the  darkness  of  the 
chaos  of  the  future,  and  preparing  the  world  for  a  higher 
plane  of  life.  Revolutions  and  commotions  have  occurred, 
but  they  are  the  birththroes  of  progress.  In  the  wake  of 
successive  wars  have  sprung  the  harvests  of  civilization. 
Progress  is  always  costly. 

By  deriving  $90,000  from  the  denomination  would  be  to 
leave  it  in  better  condition  than  ever  before.  Of  course, 
there  is  a  limit  to  human  possibility,  as  there  is  to  human 
responsibility ;  but  not  to  reach  that  limit,  day  by  day,  means 
a  failure  of  duty.  Under  the  sanction  of  principles  like 
these,  while  humbly  leaning  on  God,  the  work  of  the  new 
year  began. 

Two  hundred  and  eighty-two  missionaries  were  set  to 
work  on  the  wide  field,  an  increase  of  fifteen  over  the  year 
l)receding.  These  were  to  preach,  teach,  exhort,  organize 
churches,  prayer-meetings,  and  Sunday  schools,  procure  lots 
for  new  churches,  and  means  for  building  them,  distribute 
literature,  supply  pastorless  stations,  raise  funds  for  all  the 
interests  fostered  by  the  Convention,  assist  pastors,  when 
needed,  and  any  and  all  work  that  would  contribute  to  the 
progress  of  the  great  cause. 

At  no  time  had  conditions  been  so  inspiring.  The  work 
was  under  wise  management,  and  had  the  united  support  of 
a  large  force  of  able  pastors,  the  Women's  Societies,  and 
the  Young  People's  organization.  The  sentiment  of  one 
was  the  sentiment  of  all.  Everyone  felt  that  great  things 
remained  yet  unachieved,  great  enterprises  were  yet  in 
embryo.  Where  the  greatness  of  such  might  have  stag- 
gered some  by  their  dimensions,  they  only  stimulated  the 
Baptist  hosts  of  Texas.  The  Christianity  of  the  time  was 
keeping  pace  with  the  spirit  which  pulsed  through  the 
system  of  the  Great  West.  As  in  the  commercial  sphere,  the 
face  of  the  countrv  was  beins:  transformed  bv  marvelous 


THE    PEOSPECT    BROADENS  459 

achievement,  and  as  the  air  was  vibrant  with  the  rush  of 
action,  so  in  the  rehgious  reahn.  Only  there  was  this  dif- 
ference :  There  was  a  blend  of  the  ancient  and  the  modern, 
so  far  as  it  related  to  the  Baptists.  The  year  was  distin- 
guished by  many  outdoor  meetings  where,  under  the  trees, 
large  multitudes  gathered  from  extensive  areas  and  came 
together  for  simple  worship.  Pastors  of  city  churches 
were  not  infrequently  the  conductors  of  such  meetings. 
Pastoral  evangelization  was  growing  throughout  the  State. 

There  was  a  tendency  to  react  on  the  disturbed  condi- 
tion into  which  the  Baptist  denomination  had""  been  brought 
by  the  policy  of  agitation  of  the  Texas  Baptist  and  Herald. 
Within  the  ranks  of  the  Missionary  Association  many  ex- 
cellent people  had  grown  weary  of  that  which  largely  char- 
acterized that  paper,  and  were  calling  for  peace.  ]\Iean- 
while,  however,  the  Missionary  Association  was  prosecut- 
ing its  work  on  the  field.  The  work  was  done  in  localities, 
and  no  general  state  movement  was  undertaken.  The  sala- 
ries of  some  pastors  were  supplemented,  and  detached  mis- 
sionary work  was  doiie  in  different  quarters  of  the  State. 
Besides  this,  colportage  was  conducted  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Missionary  x\ssociation. 

That  which  was  most  noteworthy  in  the  undertakings  of 
the  Missionary  Association,  was  the  establishment  of  a 
school  at  Oak  Cliff,  a  suburb  of  Dallas,  which  school  was 
named  the  Texas  Baptist  University.  A  Board  of  Trustees 
was  selected  and  J.  R.  Pentuft'.  Ph.D.,  D.D.,  was  chosen 
president.  Their  facilities  were  meager  and  they  labored 
under  great  embarrassment.  Debt  incurred  in  the  purchase 
of  the  property  proved  a  great  hindrance. 

Both  the  general  bodies  met  in  Dallas  in  1905 — the  Con- 
vention meeting  first.  The  organization  was  effected  within 
a  few  minutes  after  the  devotional  exercises  were  over,  by 
electing  by  acclamation,  R.  C.  Buckner  president;  Pat  M. 
Neft',  O.  S.  Lattimore  and  R.  T.  Hanks  vice-presidents, 
and  A.  E.  Baten  and  F.  M.  McConnell  secretaries. 

One  of  the  first  matters  of  importance  coming  before  the 
Convention  at  this  time,  was  that  of  the  establishment  of  a 
Theological  Seminary  in  the  Southwest.  The  fact  that 
more  trained  preachers  were  needed  in  Texas ;  that  many 


460  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

who  needc<l  aid,  conkl  not  go  to  the  Southern  Ba])tist  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Louisville,  but  could  attend  on  theo- 
logical training-  at  Uaylor  University,  had  led  to  the  estab- 
Hshnient  of  a  I'lieological  Seminary  in  connection  with  that 
institution.  This  had  been  growing  for  years,  and,  indeed, 
had  a  separate  faculty,  among  whom  were  some  of  the  lead- 
ing theologians  of  the  country.  It  had  outgrown  the  pro- 
portions of  a  mere  department,  and  the  conditions  seemed 
to  call  for  a  distinct  seminary.  This  was  favored  by  Doctor 
B.  H.  Carroll,^  who  addressed  the  Convention  on  the  subject, 
but  it  was  thought  by  some,  that  the  time  had  not  come 
for  a  severance  of  the  theological  school  from  the  Univer- 
sity, and  the  matter  had  not  been  maturely  considered  by 
the  people  at  large,  and  it  was  referred  to  a  special  com- 
mittee with  Doctor  J.  A.  French  as  chairman.  After  care- 
ful consideration  the  following  was  adopted : 

"Whereas,  Texas  and  the  Southwest  are  a  great  and 
growing  field  of  operation.    And, 

"\\'hereas.  It  is  manifest  that  one  of  our  greatest  needs 
is  a  training  in  the  ministry.     And, 

"Whereas,  It  is  further  manifest  that  only  a  small  per 
cent  of  our  preachers  do  go.  or  are  likely  to  go  beyond  our 
borders  for  theological  training : 

"Therefore,  Resolved,  i.  That  this  Convention  notes 
with  much  interest,  the  very  important  step  recently  taken 
by  Baylor  University  in  the  development  of  the  Bible  school 
of  that  insjtitution. 

"Resolved  2.  That  we  believe  it  is  a  sound  denomina- 
tional policy,  in  the  interest  of  every  part  of  our  work,  to 
give  to  this  movement  a  strong  and  steady  support,  and 
that  it  ought  to  be  given  in  such  way  as  to  enable  Doctor 
B.  H.  Carroll  and  his  co-laborers,  an  opportunity  to  do 
their  best  without  distraction.  And  it  is  very  ear- 
nestly urged  that  the  financial  support  of  the  Seminary  be 
provided  by  the  brotherhood,  without  requiring  any  of 
Doctor  Carroll's  time  from  his  class-work. 

"Resolved  3.  That  it  is  the  sense  of  the  Convention  that 
this  department  of  Baylor  University  should  be  developed 
prudently  with  regard  to  its  interior  growth  and  the  general 
denominational  condition. 


THE    PROSPECT    BROADENS  461 

"Resolved  4.  That  it  is  further  the  sense  of  this  body 
that  it  is  both  unwise  and  impohtic,  at  this  time,  to  agitate 
the  question  of  the  separation  of  this  department  from  Bay- 
lor University.'' 

Those  favoring  the  establishment  of  a  separate  The- 
ological Seminary  for  Texas  and  the  Southwest,  were 
willing  to  yield  their  convictions,  for  the  time  being,  re- 
specting the  timeliness  of  creating  such  an  institution,  but 
were  none  the  less  steadfast  in  the  conviction  that  it  must 
inevitably  and  eventually  be. 

As  Rev.  J.  L.  Gross  had  just  been  settled  as  pastor  of 
the  First  Church  of  Houston,  he  was  presented  to  the  Con- 
vention, and  accorded  a  cordial  greeting. 

Great  interest  was  shown  in  the  report  on  the  Baptist 
Memorial  Sanitarium  as  -presented  by  Doctor  George  W. 
Truett.  The  necessity,  the  urgency  and  the  benefits  of  such 
an  institution  were  presented  in  an  elaborate  report.  En- 
couragement was  given  to  the  undertaking  by  a  collection 
in  cash  and  pledges  of  $90,000.  This  was  a  guarantee  of 
its  success. 

As  usual,  much  interest  centered  about  the  report  on 
State  Missions.  This  reviewed  elaborately  and  enthusias- 
tically the  tremendous  work  of  the  year,  and  it  was  evident 
that  there  was  a  deficit  of  about  $5,000.  The  deficiency 
was  promptly  raised  on  the  spot,  and  the  Convention  broke 
into  singing  "How  Firm  a  Foundation." 

The  announcement  that  J.  M.  Carroll  had  retired  from 
the  financial  secretaryship  of  the  Education  Commission 
became  a  subject  of  general  regret.  President  Brooks  was 
chosen  in  his  stead.  He  was  to  combine  the  work  of  raising 
an  endowment  fund  with  that  of  the  presidency  of  Baylor 
University.  During  the  past  year,  conditions  had  been 
unfavorable  to  the  work  of  endowment.  During  the  period 
of  the  year  assigned  to  this  branch  of  the  work,  it  rained  so 
incessantly  that  the  work  could  not  be  done.  Such  was  the 
condition  of  the  correlated  schools  that  the  work  of  the 
endowment  of  Baylor  was  suspended  for  a  time  in  order 
to  give  relief  to  these  schools.  Meanwhile  two  other  schools 
had  come  into  the  correlated  system — Goodnight  Industrial 
Academv   and    Canadian    Academv.      Notwithstanding    the 


462  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

adverse  conditions  of  the  year.  Secretary  Carroll  had  raised 
$27,945.75  for  the  endowment  of  I'.aylor  University.  Inde- 
pendent of  this,  between  $16,000  and  $20,000  had  been  raised 
for  the  theological  department  of  that  school.  Dnring  the 
eight  years  of  the  Education  Commission  there  had  been 
raised,  in  debt-paying  equipment  and  in  endowment,  about 
$600,000.  At  this  season  of  the  Convention  it  was  agreed 
by  the  representatives  of  the  leading  schools  of  the  cor- 
related system  that  the  Education  Commission  imdertake 
to  raise  $125,000  during  the  following  year,  one-half  of 
which  should  be  applied  to  liaylor  University  and  the  bal- 
ance to  the  other  schools  of  the  system.  Among  other  edu- 
cational items  should  be  named  the  fact  that  the  friends  of 
Baylor  College,  at  Belton,  had  raised  $13,000  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  new  building.  Another  item  was  presented  in  the 
report  of  Baylor  University  for  the  year  1905,  namely,  that 
the  bronze  statue  of  President  R.  C.  Burleson  had  been 
raised  on  the  campus  of  the  university.  The  unveiling  of 
the  monument  had  been  one  of  the  features  of  the  preceding 
commencement  of  that  institution. 

It  was  not  least  among  the  signs  of  the  times  that  the 
Convention,  by  special  motion,  telegraphed  Christian  greet- 
ings to  the  Northwest  Texas  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Giurch,  South,  which  was  in  session  at  Hills- 
boro.  This  was  an  expression  of  co-fraternity  which  was 
prevailing  throughout  the  state. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Cranfill  having  disposed  of  The  Standard  the 
year  before,  of  which  paper  Rev.  J.  H.  Gambrell  became  the 
editor,  he  resorted  for  a  period  to  other  pursuits,  but  finally 
purchased  The  Baptist,  of  Abilene,  The  Southern  Baptist,  of 
San  Antonio,  and  established  another  paper  called  The  Bap- 
tist Tribune.  He  was  hailed  by  many  with  delight  on  his 
return  to  editorial  work,  his  friends  recognizing  his  signal 
gifts  with  the  editorial  pen.  Among  the  dead  of  the  year 
were  Doctor  T.  J.  Walne  and  Revs.  R.  S.  Coward  and  J.  F. 
McLeod.  Doctor  Walne  had  been  for  years  the  represen- 
tative of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  in  the 
state.  There  had  followed  him  to  Texas  from  his  native 
State,  Mississippi,  a  reputation  for  godliness  and  efificiency 
which  he  maintained  to  the  close  of  his  life.     R.  S.  Coward 


THE    PROSPECT    BROADENS  463 

was  noted  as  a  vocalist  and  temperance  worker,  and,  at  one 
time,  came  well  nigh  losing  his  life  as  a  result  of  a  brutal 
assault  of  saloon  men.  J.  F.  McLeod  had  occupied  pas- 
torates in  different  parts  of  the  State  and  was  always  beloved 
for  his  works'  sake. 

At  the  close  of  the  Convention  President  Buckner  stated 
in  a  brief  address  that  he  had  presided  over  the  body  for 
twelve  consecutive  years.  He  assumed  the  gavel  first  in  a 
storm,  but  that  had  long  ago  passed.  It  was  a  remarkable 
fact,  as  stated  by  him,  that  for  the  last  six  years  there  had 
not  been  cast  in  the  body  a  negative  vote  on  any  subject. 
This,  he  argued,  was  not  a  subordination  of  individual  opin- 
ion or  liberty,  for  all  had  been  free  to  act  each  for  himself ; 
but  after  discussion,  free  and  fraternal,  all  had  seen  alike 
through  the  medium  of  unity  and  harmony  and  all  had  voted 
alike. 

Following  close  on  the  heels  of  the  meeting  of  the  Con- 
vention came  that  of  the  Missionary  Association,  which  met 
in  the  same  place.  J.  C.  Loggins  was  elected  president, 
H.  B.  Pender  and  J.  S.  Wilson,  vice  presidents,  and  L.  L. 
Sams  recording  secretary.  An  encouraging  report  on  the 
Texas  Baptist  University  was  presented,  in  which  it  was 
shown  that  the  Patton  Seminary  property  had  been  pur- 
chased at  Oak  Cliff  on  favorable  terms.  On  this  property 
there  was  a  debt  of  $30,000,  of  which  amount  the  citizens 
of  Dallas  had  given  assurance  that  they  would  substantially 
aid  in  the  future.  A  collection  followed  for  the  Texas 
University  amounting  in  cash  and  pledges  to  $9,496.50. 

The  report  of  the  Board  of  Missions  showed  that  col- 
lections for  all  purposes  amounted  to  $35,594.02. 

The  year  had  been  attended  with  difficulties,  and  numer- 
ous embarrassments  had  confronted  them,  arising  from 
protracted  rains  and  other  causes.  The  spirituality  of  the 
churches  acting  in  co-operation  with  the  Board  was  not  so 
favorable.  Scores  of  churches  were  reported  pastorless, 
and  competent  men  were  in  great  demand.  From  many 
quarters  there  was  coming  a  call  for  peace.  Following  the 
presentation  of  this  report  was  an  overture  from  the  Trinity 
River  Association  in  behalf  of  peace  among  the  common 
brotherhood  of  Texas  Baptists.     Among  the  statements  of 


464  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

the  petition  was  that  of  the  faet  that  "in  some  of  our  dis- 
trict associations  the  spirit  of  mission  work  is  heing  re- 
tarded and  the  spirit  of  missions  ahnost  lost  sight  of  in 
many  of  our  churches,  on  account  of  so  much  strife  among 
many  of  our  people."  llie  spirit  of  the  memorial  was 
excellent,  and  at  its  close  it  proposed  a  plan  for  the  con- 
summation of  desired  union  of  the  Baptists  of  the  state. 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  timely  and  fraternal,  and 
would  that  it  had  been  heeded.  During  the  session  J.  M. 
Newburn  resigned  as  corresponding  secretary,  and  L.  L. 
Sams  was  chosen  in  his  stead.  By  appropriate  resolution 
the  board  was  empowered  to  employ  as  many  state  evange- 
lists as  possible  during  the  succeeding  year. 

The  Missionary  Association  was  seeking,  according  to 
its  own  policy,  to  cover  the  field  as  far  as  possible,  and  its 
branches  of  service  were  varied,  and  corresponded  with 
those  of  the  State  Convention. 

The  Baptist  work  in  Texas  during  the  following  year 
began  under  an  inspiration.  Great  hopes  were  excited  by 
that  which  had  gone  before.  The  times  were  unusually 
prosperous  and  the  people  buoyant  in  spirit.  Every  cause 
was  ready  for  advancement.  With  the  spirit  which  had 
impelled  the  State  Board  all  along,  its  work  for  the  new 
year  was  laid  out  on  a  basis  of  $100,000.  Its  plan  of  opera- 
tion was  enlarged  in  proportion,  and  its  work  proceeded 
as  heretofore.  Secretary  Gambrell  found  himself  embar- 
rassed by  the  retirement  from  service  of  his  most  inde- 
fatigable lieutenant,  J.  M.  Gaddy.  Greatly  broken  in  health, 
largely  the  result  of  overwork,  Mr.  Gaddy  was  forced  to 
retire  from  the  service.  He  was  a  master  of  assemblies  in 
raising  funds  for  a  worthy  cause.  Gifted  with  bright 
humor  and  keen  repartee,  it  was  a  delight  to  an  audience  to 
listen  to  his  appeal. 

Even  with  so  grave  a  loss  froiu  the  work,  it  was  vig- 
orously pushed  from  the  Dallas  Convention  onward.  Three 
hundred  and  two  laborers  were  assigned  to  work  on  the 
field,  and  the  year  resounded  with  the  stroke  of  activity 
and  advancement.  Evangelism  became  more  than  ever  a 
dominant  note.  Regard  for  permanency  was  had  in  the 
prosecution  of  all  causes.     All  missionary  and  educational 


THE    PROSPECT    BROADENS  465 

interests  touched  by  the  work  of  the  Convention  received  a 
fresh  impulse,  and  along  with  the  enlightenment  came  the 
solidification  of  the  churches.  Congregations  and  district 
associations  which  ten  years  before  were  inert,  had  risen 
into  prominence  as  leaders  in  a  great  cause. 

In  many  respects  the  year  1906  was  the  most  eventful 
in  the  history  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  Texas.  Dur- 
ing the  preceding  year  Dr.  J.  B.  Cranfill  had  ended  the 
vexatious  lawsuits  so  long  pressed  by  Dr.  S.  A.  Hayden. 
The  history  of  the  settlement  of  these  cases  is  both  unique 
and  interesting.  On  April  28,  1905,  Dr.  Cranfill  was  visited 
in  his  office  at  Dallas  by  Dr.  R.  C.  Buckner  and  Ben  T.  Seay, 
the  latter  a  respected  member  of  the  First  Baptist  church 
at  Dallas.  On  his  own  initiative  Mr.  Seay  had  interested 
himself  in  securing  a  proposal  from  Dr.  Hayden's  attor- 
neys looking  to  a  settlement  of  this  litigation.  The  proposal 
was  carefully  gone  over  by  Dr.  Buckner  and  Mr.  Seay, 
and  they  were  of  the  opinion  that  it  ought  to  be  accepted. 
They  sought  Dr.  Cranfill  and  urged  him  to  accept  the 
proposal,  and  thus  forever  end  the  most  hurtful  pro- 
cedure known  in  Texas  Baptist  history.  It  was  a  coinci- 
dence that  this  visit  to  Dr.  Cranfill  was  made  on  April  28, 
1905,  just  seven  years  from  the  day  that  Dr.  Hayden  filed 
his  first  suit.  Dr.  Cranfill,  having  siiiTered  perhaps  more 
than  any  other  in  this  litigation,  both  financially  and  other- 
wise, felt  that  it  ought  to  be  terminated,  but  he  was  well 
aware  that  there  were  those  among  the  defendants  who 
would  be  unwilling  to  any  kind  of  settleiuent.  The  proposal 
from  Dr.  Hayden's  attorneys  was  that  Dr.  Cranfill  was 
to  pay  $100  and  costs  in  each  case.  There  were  three  cases. 
The  first  of  these,  which  Dr.  Hayden  filed  for  $100,000 
damages,  was  on  account  of  the  action  of  the  San  Antonio 
Convention  in  1897.  The  second  was  for  a  like  amount, 
but  was  based  on  the  action  of  the  1898  session  of  the  Con- 
vention. The  third  was  a  damage  suit  for  $25,000  against 
Dr.  Cranfill  personally.  Only  one  of  these  cases — the  first 
one — had  ever  been  tried.  In  the  first  trial  of  the  case  Dr. 
Hayden  secured  judgment  for  $30,000,  which  was  sweep- 
ingly  reversed  by  the  Civil  Court  of  Appeals,  sitting  at  Dal- 
las.    There  followed  two  mistrials  of  the  case,  which  con- 


466  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

sumed  about  eight  weeks  of  time  each.  On  the  fourth  trial 
of  the  case  Dr.  Hayden  secured  a  judgment  for  $15,000, 
which  was  subsequently  afifirmed  by  the  Civil  Court  of 
Appeals,  sitting  at  Dallas.  This  was  taken  up  on  appeal 
to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  which  sweepingly  re- 
versed it,  and  this  was  the  status  of  the  litigation  when  Dr. 
Hay  den's  attorneys  sent  the  proposal  to  Dr.  Cranfill. 
These  trials,  all  told,  had  cost  a  large  sum  of  money,  the 
burden,  of  course,  having  borne  very  heavily  on  just  a  few 
defendants.  The  three  who  suffered  most  were  J.  B.  Cran- 
fill, J.  B.  Gambrell  and  George  W.  Truett.  These  men, 
together  with  the  other  defendants,  had,  all  told,  been  held 
in  the  Dallas  Court  house  eight  months.  They  had  been 
ruthlessly  assailed,  and  had  suffered  grievously  in  many 
ways.  The  stenographer's  fee  alone  in  one  of  these  trials 
amounted  to  $1,400.  It  was  paid  by  J.  B.  Cranfill.  Part  of 
the  other  stenographers'  fees  had  been  paid  at  the  time  the 
litigation  was  in  progress,  and  part  was  still  taxed  in  the 
costs.  The  proposal  was  that  without  either  the  plaintiff 
or  defendants  waiving  any  of  their  allegations  or  pleadings, 
all  three  of  the  suits  were  to  be  settled  if  Dr.  Cranfill  would 
pay  $100  and  costs  in  each  case.  The  total,  therefore,  under 
this  agreement  that  was  payable  to  Dr.  Hayden  was  $300, 
and  for  this  amount  Dr.  Cranfill  gave  three  checks  for  $100 
each.  He  also  settled  the  costs  in  all  the  cases,  which  aggre- 
gated between  five  and  six  thousand  dollars.  No  other  de- 
fendant was  consulted.  Dr.  Cranfill  explained  his  course  in 
the  matter  by  the  statement  that  he  felt  that  the  litigation 
had  gone  on  long  enough ;  that  no  possible  good  could  come 
of  it,  but  continuous  harm ;  that  in  view  of  the  fact 
the  defendants  did  not  waive  any  of  their  pleadings,  no 
compromise  whatever  of  any  principle  had  been  made ;  and 
that  while  he  felt  ill  able  to  do  so,  he  was  willing  to  pay 
the  costs  and  eliminate  the  hurtful  litigation  from  the  Texas 
Baptist  arena. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  during  all  the  litigation,  the 
trial  judge,  Hon.  Richard  Morgan,  favored  the  prosecu- 
tion. His  rulings  were  invariably  adverse  to  the  defendants. 
Himself  a  high  church  Episcopalian,  he  seemed  to  rejoice 
in  the  fact  that  he  had  Baptists  in  his  court,  and  his  con- 


THE    PEOSPECT .  BEOADENS  467 

duct  of  the  case,  as  many  believed,  was  in  itself  a  species  of 
persecution  of  many  of  the  best  men  that  Texas  Baptists 
ever  knew.  It  was  impossible  under  his  rulings  for  the  case 
to  be  fairly  tried  in  the  lower  court ;  but  every  time  it  went 
up  to  the  higher  courts  it  was  reversed  and  sent  back. 

The  service  that  Dr.  Cranfill  rendered  the  denomination 
in  the  settlement  of  this  litigation  was  noble  and  unselfish. 
He  at  the  time  regarded  it,  and  still  regards  it,  as  the  great- 
est single  service  he  ever  rendered  the  Texas  Baptist  peo- 
ple. While  there  were  none  that  ever  gave  him  a  cent  in 
helping  him  pay  the  burdensome  costs  incident  to  this  set- 
tlement, he  never  complained  at  this,  but  rejoiced  and  still 
rejoices  in  the  fact  that  he  was  able  thus  to  serve  Christ 
and  the  Baptist  cause.  Looking  back  at  the  ending  of  this 
litigation,  even  from  this  short  distance,  it  seems  marvel- 
ously  strange  that  good  men  should  have  evinced  the  unrest 
and  excitement  that  followed  in  some  quarters  on  account  of 
this  adjudication  of  the  Hayden  lawsuits.  It  is  a  gracious 
fact  that  those  who  were  disposed  to  criticise  Dr.  Cranfill 
soon  saw  the  error,  and  that  now,  without  an  exception,  so 
far  as  the  writer  of  this  record  knows,  the  Baptists  of  Texas 
are  of  one  mind  that  the  settlement  of  the  lawsuits  was  a 
consummation  devoutly  to  be  wished,  and  one  that  removed 
from  Texas  Baptist  councils  the  greatest  engine  of  evil  which 
the  enemies  of  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of  Texas  had 
ever  been  able  to  marshal  in  their  service. 

The  ]\Iissionary  Association,  in  the  prosecution  of  its 
work,  suft'ered  serious  difficulty.  After  the  election  of  L.  L. 
Sams  as  corresponding  secretary,  he  remained  silent  for 
months,  and  finally  declined.  Dr.  S.  J.  Anderson  assumed 
charge  of  the  work  temporarily,  but  was  eventually  pros- 
trated by  sickness.  Late  in  the  Associational  year  Dr.  S.  H. 
Slaughter  accepted  the  secretaryship,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  year  he,  too,  was  stricken  down  with  sickness.  Disaffec- 
tion of  various  kinds  invaded  their  ranks,  and  a  number 
who  had  been  conspicuous  among  them  withdrew,  some  of 
whom  returned  to  the  Convention.  Among  these  may  be 
named  Dr.  Walter  E.  Tynes,  who  had  for  a  number  of 
years  served  in  an  official  capacity  in  their  ranks.  Like  all 
others  who  sought  their  way  back  into  the  Convention,  he 


468  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

found  an  open  door  of  Christian  welcome.  Among  the  res- 
ignations of  the  year  was  that  of  Doctor  Pentufif,  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Texas  ]>aptist  University.  Still  the  Missionary 
Association  pushed  its  way  as  hest  it  could.  Burdened  by 
a  debt  of  $7,000  inherited  from  the  preceding  year,  many 
of  its  former  laborers  were  still  unpaid,  but  later  they  were 
relieved.  It  was  evident  that  the  dominant  sentiment  in  the 
denomination  was  against  the  Missionary  Association.  The 
time  had  passed  when  the  denomination  would  be  seduced 
by  ill-timed  detractions  and  distractions  to  swerve  from  a 
course  of  unprecedented  progress,  and  heed  a  false  war  cry. 
The  Baptists  of  Texas  had  entered  on  a  highway  of  peace, 
and  were  deaf  to  the  disturbances  that  might  rage  else- 
where. If  it  was  the  choice  of  a  faction  to  foment  animos- 
ity, the  great  body  of  Baptists  would  have  nothing  of  it. 

The  Missionary  Association  met  in  Dallas  on  October 
31,  1906.  Corresponding  Secretary  Slaughter  was  on  a 
bed  of  illness  and  could  not  be  present.  H.  B.  Pender  was 
chosen  president,  H.  Y.  Lively  and  A.  D.  Brooks,  vice 
presidents,  and  P.  C.  Scott  and  W.  W.  Scales,  recording 
secretaries. 

The  temper  of  the  body  was  indicated  in  the  annual  re- 
port of  the  Board  of  Missions.  After  recounting  the  dififi- 
culties  which  had  been  met  during  the  year  the  report  says : 
"The  enemy  assiduously  circulated  the  report  to  the  effect 
that  the  B.  M.  A.  (meaning  the  Baptist  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation) was  bankrupted  and  that  it  could  never  meet  its 
obligations."  Later  on  the  report  says  :  "More  than  any- 
thing else  we  need  more  consecrated  ministers  of  the  word 
of  God  who  cannot  be  purchased,  deceived  or  led  into 
heresy  for  the  sake  of  position  or  companionship.  Hun- 
dreds of  our  churches  have  been  compelled  to  do  without 
preaching,  or  take  it  from  those  who  are  fpiictly  endorsing 
the  heresies  of  conventional  sovereignty."' 

It  was  difficult  to  persuade  people  generally  of  the  con- 
sistency of  such  deliverances  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that 
these  leaders  were  for  many  years  members  of  the  Con- 
vention, endorsing  its  plans  and  policy,  and  were  mes- 
sengers to  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  even  to  the 
latest  session  of  that  body.     The  report  advised  a  change 


THE    PROSPECT    BROADENS  469 

of  plan  of  work,  and  urged  the  body  to  devote  more  time  to 
evangelistic  and  colportage  operations.  The  total  amount 
of  receipts  for  all  purposes  for  the  year  was  $21,635.93. 
The  report  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Texas  Baptist 
University  showed  that  there  was  a  debt  of  $35,000  on  the 
institution,  $10,000  of  which  was  due  within  a  few  days. 
In  response  to  an  appeal  for  contributions  and  pledges  with 
which  to  meet  this  emergency,  $[,308.08  was  raised.  The 
pledges  made  for  the  State  Board  were  liberal. 

The  Baptist  General  Convention  for  1906  met  at  Waco 
on  November  8.  R.  C.  Buckner  was  chosen  by  acclama- 
tion, president ;  L.  R.  Scarborough,  B.  F.  Riley  and  W.  B. 
Denson,  vice  presidents,  and  A.  E.  Baten  and  F.  M.  McCon- 
nell,  secretaries.  After  appropriate  preliminaries  Rev.  J. 
Frank  Norris  preached  the  Convention  sermon — one  of 
great  powder.  The  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
was  comprehensive  in  detail,  reviewing  the  vast  work  in  its 
scope  and  in  its  minutest  detail.  It  showed  that  the  growth 
of  beneficence  within  ten  years  had  been  five  hundred  per 
cent.  That  which  had  been  undertaken  by  the  Board  dur- 
ing the  year  had  been  splendidly  successful.  More  than  a 
hundred  thousand  dollars  had  been  raised  in  Texas  for 
State  missions  alone,  and  had  been  expended  in  that  work. 
The  grand  total  of  contributions  for  all  causes  amounted  to 
$296,603.03.  As  usual,  the  reading  of  the  report  sent  a 
thrill  through  the  immense  assembly,  which  sought  expres- 
sion in  joy  and  thanksgiving.  The  evening  following  there 
was  a  collection  taken  by  L.  R.  Scarborough  for  the  Buck- 
ner Orphans'  Home,  aggregating  $46,433.28.  The  debt  of 
$60,000  with  which  Baylor  University  was  burdened  had 
been  reduced  by  $10,000  as  the  result  of  a  timely  gift  from 
F.  L.  Carroll  before  his  death.  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  presented 
the  first  report  ever  presented  to  the  body  from  Baylor 
Theological  Seminary.  It  had  been  created  as  one  of  the 
schools  of  Baylor  University  with  the  distinct  understand- 
ing that  it  was  to  incur  no  debt.  Its  plan  and  policy  was 
outlined  by  Dean  Carroll,  and  the  necessity  of  its  main- 
tenance emphasized.  There  had  been  raised  for  Bavlor 
Theological  Seminary  during  the  year  $13,033.44.  Other 
sums  had  been  promised.    In  pathetic  words,  Doctor  Carroll 


470  HISTOKY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

pressed  this  as  the  crowning  work  of  his  Hfe.  On  his  heart 
lay  the  claim  of  a  great  seminary,  which  he  regarded  as  an 
imperative  necessity. 

The  work  on  the  Baptist  Memorial  Sanitarium  at  Dal- 
las had  progressed  rapidly  toward  completion.  It  embraced 
six  large  wards  and  114  rooms.  The  structure  had  a  front 
of  one  hundred  and  seventy-one  feet  by  one  hundred  and 
thirty-four  feet  deep.  This  was  an  additional  object  brought 
under  the  fostering  care  of  the  Convention.  The  whole 
structure  is  fireproof,  and  the  buildings  and  grounds  cost 
$250,000.  Colonel  C.  C.  Slaughter  has  from  the  beginning 
been  a  moving  and  ruling  spirit  in  making  the  enterprise 
a  surety.  He  has  been  a  princely  contributor  to  it,  and 
cherishes  it  with  peculiar  pride. 

During  the  year  1906  the  Baptists  had  sustained  seri- 
ous losses  by  death.  Among  those  who  had  fallen  was 
Rev.  G.  B.  Rogers,  who  had  served  important  pastorates 
in  the  state,  was  once  a  financial  secretary  of  Baylor  Female 
College,  and  for  a  period  of  years  was  in  charge  of  the 
famous  chapel  car  "Good  Will,"  which  in  its  tours  of  unique 
evangelism  had  accomplished  untold  good.  The  name  of 
G.  B.  Rogers  had  become  a  household  w^orld  through  the 
state.  Deacon  F.  L.  Carroll,  the  great  Baptist  benefactor, 
had  also  died.  The  magnificent  edifice  which  graces  the 
grounds  of  Baylor  University  is  his  chief  monument.  Not 
here  alone  w-as  his  expenditure  of  beneficence.  In  thou- 
sands of  untold  ways  he  had  been  a  benediction  to  the  race. 
With  a  character  as  firm  and  solid  as  the  great  building 
which  bears  his  name,  deliberate,  judicious,  pious,  modest, 
his  loss  w^as  a  great  one  to  his  denomination  and  to  the 
world. 

Among  the  important  events  of  the  year  was  the  de- 
parture of  Dr.  L.  T.  Mays  to  Cuba  to  superintend  the  mis- 
sionary and  educational  interests  fostered  by  the  Home 
Mission  Board  on  that  island.  Young,  vigorous,  learned 
and  progressive,  he  took  with  him  confident  expectations 
of  success  from  all  who  knew  him.  Another  movement  of 
importance  was  the  establishment  of  a  girls'  school,  known 
as  Texas  Baptist  Woman's  College,  by  Rev.  Geo.  B.  But- 
ler at  Bryan,  in  a  region  where  such  an  institution  was 


THE    PEOSPECT    BEOADENS  471 

greatly  needed.  The  enterprise  was  undertaken  with  vigor 
by  Mr.  Butler,  who  became  the  president  of  it,  and  a  hand- 
some building  was  in  due  time  erected.  Still  another  move- 
ment of  wide-reaching  importance  was  that  of  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  San  Marcos  Academy  in  the  town  of  San 
Marcos  by  Dr.  J.  M.  Carroll,  who  was  chosen  principal  and 
financial  secretary  of  the  school.  It  is  an  institution  that 
is  prophetic  of  great  things  in  the  southwestern  portion  of 
the  State  of  Texas. 

Soon  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Convention  at  Waco 
Rev.  J.  M.  Gaddy  was  accidentally  killed  by  a  train  south 
of  Austin.  He  was  on  his  way  to  San  Antonio  to  receive 
medical  treatment.  It  is  presumed  that  he  left  his  berth  in 
the  sleeper  in  an  unconscious  condition  and,  stepping  off 
while  the  train  was  moving,  was  killed.  No  more  valuable 
man  belonged  to  the  denomination.  Deprived  of  early  ad- 
vantages, the  deficiency  was  largely  supplied  by  unusual 
native  gifts  which  never  failed  to  command  the  admiration 
of  any  audience.    He  died  in  the  prime  of  his  years. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

CLOSING    WORDS. 

Now  that  our  task  is  done,  wo  are  able  to  stop  and 
glance  over  the  broad  field,  after  coming  through  stirring 
and  eventful  scenes  of  many  years,  to  review  the  elements 
which  have  contributed  to  the  growth  and  success  of  a 
denomination,  which,  through  eight  decades  of  time,  can 
now  number  perhaps  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand. 
From  the  beginning,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  loyalty  to  principle 
has  been  dominant  among  the  rapidly  growing  hosts  of 
Baptists.  This  was  as  true  of  the  grim  and  grizzly  mis- 
sionary in  the  primitive  period  of  Texas  history,  as  it  is  true 
today  of  the  splendid  army  of  men  who  man  the  Baptist 
pulpits  of  the  state.  There  have  been  defections,  and  their 
wrecks  are  strewn  along  the  years,  as  we  look  through  the 
past,  but  there  has  been  a  loftiness  of  principle  rarely  equaled. 
The  Bible  was  believed  and  taught  by  Baptists  in  the  early 
twenties,  just  as  it  is  in  the  Baptist  pulpits  in  Texas  in  the 
early  years  of  the  twentieth  century.  No  fear  can  come 
to  the  Baptists  of  Texas  so  long  as  adherence  to  principle 
is  respected  and  observed.  Backed  by  more  than  eighty 
years  of  history  that  have  been  marked  by  as  rigid  fixed- 
ness of  principle  as  distinguished  the  early  days  of  Chris- 
tianity, it  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  situation  that 
would  favor  the  possibility  of  the  introduction  of  heresy 
into  the  great  body  of  Texas  Baptists.  Not  a  whit  less 
loyal  is  the  youngest  of  Baptist  pastors  today,  to  the  doc- 
trines of  God's  word,  than  were  the  pioneer  veterans  who 
laid  the  first  stones  in  the  foundation  of  the  great  denomi- 
nation in  Texas. 

The  world  beyond  has  not  infrequently  misunderstood 
the  varied  conditions  through  which  Texas  Baptists  have 
passed.    They  have  been  thought  to  be  sometimes  feverishly 

472 


CLOSING  WORDS  473 

contentious,  living  and  thriving  in  disorder.  Never  was 
there  a  graver  misapprehension  of  a  great  people.  Where 
there  was  a  question  of  principle  involved,  it  incurred  oppo- 
sition, stout  and  resistful  to  the  end ;  when  the  disturbing 
element  disappeared,  the  denomination  has  been  serenely 
active.  It  must  be  that  offenses  arise,  and  when  the  hour 
came  to  strike  the  blow,  it  was  done  with  steady  and  sturdy 
nerve.  This  has  been  the  secret  of  commanding  growth  and 
influence  and  power  which  has  distinguished  Texas  Baptists 
through  more  than  three-quarters  of  a  century  of  their 
history.  In  no  quarter  of  the  globe  has  there  been  a  more 
jealous  guardianship  of  the  principle  which  penetrates  the 
New  Testament,  than  in  Texas.  With  the  same  fidelity  in 
the  future,  it  is  impossible  to  foresee  where'unto  they  will 
ultimately  attain.  Great  spirits  are  theirs,  not  a  few,  alike 
in  pulpit  and  in  pew,  of  men  and  women,  too,  and  the  pos- 
sibilities of  achievements  are  multiplying  with  the  years.  If 
the  same  wisdom,  the  same  unflinching  courage,  the  same 
resistance  to  the  invasion  of  error  shall  mark  the  periods 
to  come,  Texas  Baptists  are  destined  to  achieve  a  work 
that  wall  place  them  most  conspicuously  in  the  eye  of  the 
world. 

There  are  dangers  not  a  few,  which  are  apt  to  menace 
their  individual  and  church  life.  The  growth  of  wealth 
with  its  snares  is  one  of  these.  The  insidious  injection  of 
the  claims  of  so-called  society,  which  would  disparage 
robust  discipleship,  and  stealthily  sap  the  good  order  of 
individual  and  church  life,  is  another.  Arrogance,  on  the 
one  hand,  and  pride  and  vain-glory  on  the  other,  are  incon- 
sistent with  the  simple  principles  of  the  people  called  Bap- 
tists. The  Baptists  of  Texas  have  occasion  for  more  appre- 
hension from  within  than  from  without.  But  so  long  as 
the  mighty  men  wdio  now  control  the  destiny  of  the  denomi- 
nation ;  so  long  as  an  army  of  pastors,  like  those  who  now 
occupy  Baptist  pulpits,  shall  lead  the  people,  just  so  long 
will  there  be  the  result  which  have  come  to  the  denomina- 
tion up  to  the  present. 


•  CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

SOME    PROMINENT    TEXAS    BAPTIST    LAYMEN. 

In  the  sacred  records,  distinguished  eminence  is  given  to 
some  who  were  not  called  to  the  exercise  of  the  high  office 
of  the  gospel  ministry,  but  whose  aid  was  most  timely,  if 
not  indispensable,  in  rooting  the  new  religion  in  the  East. 
The  Aquilas,  Lazaruses,  Simons  and  Stephens  were  just  as 
indispensable  as  were  the  Johns,  Peters,  Jameses  and  Pauls. 
In  all  times,  God  has  raised  up  men,  apart  from  the  sacred 
ministry,  whose  interest  and  devotion  were  not  a  whit  less 
than  that  of  those  whose  office  was  sacredly  official — men 
whose  devotion  and  sacrifice  have  been  substantial  supple- 
ments to  the  work  of  the  pulpit. 

From  the  beginning  of  Texas  Baptist  history,  the  mission- 
ary and  pastor  have  not  been  without  cordial  co-workers  in 
the  private  ranks  of  the  churches.  Every  period  of  the 
advancing  history  of  the  denomination  has  developed  men 
who  have  been  as  profound  in  their  interest  in  the  promo- 
tion of  the  cause  of  the  Master,  as  have  been  the  most 
ardent  of  preachers.  In  the  maintenance  of  cherished  enter- 
prises, in  practical  counsel,  in  the  projection  of  plans  for 
the  expansion  of  denominational  usefulness,  in  the  prompt 
rescue  with  which  they  have  rallied  to  the  organizations 
fostered,  and  in  the  vindication  of  the  reliance  with  which 
they  could  be  leaned  on  as  the  underpropping  agents  in 
the  mammoth  undertakings  of  our  people,  the  denomination 
of  no  state  has  been  more  fortunate  in  possessing  men  of 
great  hearts  and  liberal  purses,  than  have  been  the  Baptists 
of  Texas.  They  have  fertilized  the  denomination  by  the 
copiousness  of  timely  counsel,  as  well  as  by  timely  gifts  to 
different  causes,  as  occasion  has  demanded.  Touching 
elbows  with  the  ministry,  they  have  been  able  to  do  that 
which  the  pulpit  could  not  do,  and  without  such  assistants, 

474 


SOME   PEOMINENT    LAYMEN  475 

the  work  could  never  have  been  brought  to  so  high  a  degree 
of  efficiency.  On  a  number  of  occasions  the  gifts  of  some 
of  these  men  have  been  so  munificent  as  to  send  a  thrill 
throughout  the  ranks  of  the  denomination. 

Meed  of  praise  is  due  many,  but  only  a  few  can  be  named 
within  the  compass  of  a  brief  chapter  like  this.  Among  the 
stalwart  benefactors  of  the  present  period  of  living  laymen, 
among  Texas  Baptists,  may  be  named : 

COLONEL  CHRISTOPHER  C.   SLAUGHTER, 

who  is  a  native  of  Texas,  and  enjoys  the  distinction  of 
being  the  first  male  child  born  of  a  marriage  contracted 
under  the  Republic  of  Texas.  His  education  was  at  home, 
and  quite  limited.  His  youthful  days  were  spent  on  the 
plains  of  the  West,  where  his  father.  Rev.  George  Webb 
Slaughter,  divided  his  time  between  the  ranch  and  the  pulpit. 
The  son  inherited  the  robust  physical  build  of  the  father,  as 
well  as  his  sterling  qualities  of  character.  From  sire  to  son 
was  transmitted  that  transparent  frankness  and  openness  of 
expression  which  resolves  itself  into  the  undisguised  honesty 
which  many  seek  to  veil  and  evade  by  subtlety  of  speech 
and  mock  modesty.  When  Colonel  Slaughter  speaks,  no 
one  fails  to  understand  his  meaning.  This  gives  him  an 
unique  position  among  men,  and  while  innocent  of  the 
diplomacy  of  thousands  similarly  circumstanced,  he  has 
always  commanded  the  honor  due  him  for  his  sterling 
honesty. 

At  the  early  age  of  twenty,  with  scant  knowledge  of 
books,  but  possessed  of  a  native  wisdom  which  the  schools 
cannot  give,  he  began  life  in  the  cattle  business,  on  the 
slender  capital  of  $500.  The  flush  of  youth  was  still  on  his 
brow  when  the  country  was  plunged  into  war.  He  was 
among  the  first  to  enlist,  and  was  among  the .  first  to  be 
chosen  as  a  military  leader.  First,  as  captain  of  a  company 
in  the  famous  Texas  Rangers,  he  rose  to  a  brevetted  col- 
onelcy in  the  army  of  the  Confederacy.  In  the  opening  days 
of  the  Civil  War,  when  the  forts  and  arsenals  were  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  young  Confederacy,  Colonel  Slaughter 
led  his  command  against  Fort  Griffin,  on  the  Brazos,  sur- 


476  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

rounded  it,  and  compelled  its  capitulation  with  a  garrison 
of  six  liundred  I^'ederal  troops  and  valuable  stores.  He 
served  throughout  the  war,  and  after  its  close,  was  the  pio- 
neer in  the  resumption  of  the  cattle  business.  The  Indians 
becoming  troublesome,  Colonel  Slaughter  was  called  on 
again  to  lead  the  volunteer  forces  against  them,  and  won 
distinction  as  an  Indian  fighter. 

In  his  chosen  vocation  he  was  distinguished  as  "the  cat- 
tle king  of  Texas,"  having  raised  and  marketed  the  largest 
number  of  cattle  among  American  ranchmen.  Besides,  he 
became  one  of  the  largest  land  owners  in  the  Union,  having 
come  into  possession  of  5,000,000  acres.  Prudent  manage- 
ment and  sagacity  in  business  have  made  him  wealthy,  and 
to  him  wealth  is  a  blessing.  He  has  been  a  munificent  bene- 
factor, and  into  his  gifts  to  the  cause  of  the  Master  he  has 
taken  the  same  unvarnished  honesty  and  wisdom  which  have 
characterized  him  in  the  mangement  of  his  business  afifairs. 

Colonel  Slaughter  was  the  first  to  conceive  of  the  cor- 
related system  of  Baptist  schools  in  Texas,  and  gave  to  the 
enterprise  of  the  correlation  $25,000.  Himself  deprived  of 
early  advantages,  he  finds  delight  in  aiding  others  of  worth 
and  promise.  At  different  times  he  has  been  a  princely 
giver,  and,  indeed,  it  is  not  known  to  the  public  the  extent 
of  his  aid  to  the  cause  of  Christ  in  Texas.  In  the  later  years 
of  our  denominational  history,  no  man  has  done  more,  if  so 
much  as  he,  in  the  promotion  of  the  cause.  His  wisdom, 
ripened  in  the  varied  school  of  experience,  his  rare  poise  of 
character,  his  consecrated  heart,  and  his  sagacity,  made  the 
more  penetrating  by  his  manipulation  of  large  business 
interests,  make  him  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  counselors 
in  the  conduct  of  the  vast  affairs  of  the  denomination.  His 
judgment  on  any  question  is  promptly  honored.  He  is  the 
close  and  confidential  friend  of  his  pastor,  as  well  as  of  all 
the  denominational  leaders  in  the  Baptist  enterprises  of  the 
state.  There  is  no  project  of  value  concerning  wdiich  his 
wisdom  is  not  consulted,  and  his  advice  greatly  respected. 

Beneath  all  the  robust  virtues  of  Colonel  Slaughter  is  a 
heart  of  sympathetic  tenderness,  which  lends  a  softened 
haze  to  his  great  character.  His  is  genuine  nature  tempered 
by  divine  grace,   without   the   adulteration  of  meaningless 


SOME    PROMINENT    LAYMEN  477 

conventionality,  to  which  he  is  stranger,  and  destitute  of  a 
studious  diplomacy,  which  a  soul  like  his. would  spurn.  The 
apparent  consciousness  of  his  superior  power  is  but  Nature's 
assertion,  unrestrained  by  conventional  skill,  above  which 
a  character  like  his  rises  like  the  mountain  from  the  plain. 

His  many-sided  business  capabilities  have  called  him  into 
stations  of  honor,  in  financial  and  commercial  spheres, 
among  which  positions  may  be  named  the  vice  presidency  of 
such  institutions  as  the  City  Bank  of  Dallas,  the  City  Na- 
tional Bank,  and  the  American  National  Bank,  which  last- 
named  institution  he  organized.  He  also  organized  the  Cat- 
tle Raisers"  Association,  now  the  largest  cattle  organization 
in  the  world.  His  administrative  qualities  have  led  to  his 
election  to  the  vice  presidency  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention, and  of  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of  Texas. 
For  eight  consecutive  years  he  has  been  the  president  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  the  Baptist  General  Convention  of 
Texas,  in  which  position  he  has  rendered  signal  service  to 
the  denomination.  At  one  time,  and  for  a  period  of  years, 
he  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  The  Baptist  Standard,  and 
insisted  on  its  adoption  of  a  policy  of  peace,  and  its  conduct 
on  a  basis  free  from  personal  aggression,  no  matter  what 
the  provocation  be. 

Colonel  Slaughter  is  the  founder  of  the  great  Baptist 
Sanitarium,  of  Dallas,  into  which  he  has  put  a  large  amount 
of  money.  It  is  an  institution  profoundly  cherished  by  him- 
self, and  aptly  equals  his  conception  of  what  a  great  sanitary 
institution  should  be.  Few  men  in  the  Baptist  ranks  of  the 
South  have  equalled  the  varied  benefactions  and  multiform 
services  which  he  has  rendered  his  denomination. 

HON.    GEORGE    W .    CARROLL. 

Among  the  names  destined  to  live  in  the  Baptist  annals  of 
Texas,  is  that  of  George  W.  Carroll.  His  type  of  character 
is  that  which  is  chiefly  adorned  by  gentleness  and  goodness. 
Possessed  of  a  guilelessness  which  is  unique,  and  a  gentle- 
ness which  approaches  femininity,  there  is  coupled  with 
these  an  aggressiveness  to  vice  and  wrongdoing  which,  on 
occasion,  is  as  pronounced  as  is  his  normal  quietude.     His 


478  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

rule  of  life  is  more  than  abstinence  from  evil,  it  is  in  com- 
pliance with  the  scriptural  injunction  to  abstain  from  the 
very  appearance  of  evil.  His  character  may  be  summarized 
in  the  laconic  description  of  Barnabas,  when  the  Spirit  of 
God  says  of  him :    "He  w'as  a  good  man." 

With  a  modesty  bordering  on  timidity  and  self-distrust- 
fulness,  George  W.  Carroll  would  be  a  cipher  in  life,  but  for 
his  inherent  goodness  of  heart.  By  the  assertion  of  this 
quality  of  his  character,  which  brings  in  its  train  a  mighty 
reinforcement  of  moral  courage,  the  shrinking  element  of 
his  nature,  while  voicing  his  goodness,  becomes  a  potent 
force  in  his  character,  and  rounds  out  a  manhood  of  rare 
merit  and  of  genuine  value.  The  gentler  side  of  his  life 
imparts  caution  to  that  which  is  robust,  and,  in  turn,  the 
robuster  turns  to  practical  service,  the  gentler.  George  did 
not  inherit  from  his  worthy  father,  the  stern,  but  meritorious 
qualities  possessed  by  the  ancestor,  but  has  blended  in  his 
nature  the  gentler  traits  of  the  mother,  with  just  enough  of 
the  adamantine  elements  of  the  father,  to  unite  the  better 
parts  of  each. 

By  virtue  of  his  tranquil  goodness,  and  responsiveness  to 
the  demand  of  need  in  the  service  of  the  community  or  of 
the  commonwealth,  George  W.  Carroll  has  come  to  occupy 
a  deservedly  commanding  position  among  the  Baptists  of 
Texas,  a  conspicuous  relation  to  civic  virtue,  a  superior 
place  in  the  citizenship  of  the  community  in  which  he  lives, 
and,  indeed,  in  the  great  state  of  Texas.  His  life  in  the 
home  circle  is  gentle,  and  his  relations  to  his  fellow  men 
smooth,  save  when  the  voice  for  stern  assertiveness  against 
evil  or  vice  reaches  him,  when  the  lamb  is  transformed  into 
the  lion. 

Providence  has  favored  him  with  abundance  which  he 
uses,  without  stint,  for  good.  Few  men  are  prompted  by 
a  more  generous  spirit  than  he,  and  yet  it  is  only  w'hen  the 
meritorious  appeal  is  heard,  that  he  responds.  He  is  as 
open-handed  for  the  promotion  of  good  as  he  is  close- 
handed  against  the  slightest  encouragement,  or  even  the 
semblance  of  wrong.  A  successful  business  man,  a  new 
installment  of  prosperity  animates  his  brain  and  heart 
toward  new  projects  for  good.    The  Carroll  Science  Hall, 


SOME   PEOMINENT    LAYMEN  479 

which  adorns  the  campus  of  Baylor  University,  is  one  of  his 
princely  gifts.  An  expenditure  of  $75,000  on  a  handsome 
edifice,  devoted  to  science,  projects  his  goodness  into  other 
years,  far-reaching,  and  with  an  expansiveness  for  good, 
which  comes  not  within  the  compass  of  human  calculation. 

Identified  with  all  the  great  movements  of  the  Baptist 
denomination,  his  quiet  but  liberal  gifts  swell  the  volume 
annually  of  the  beneficence  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas.  For 
several  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  proprietors  of  The 
Baptist  Standard,  to  maintain  which  he  has  given  liberally  of 
his  means,  and  devoted  much  of  his  time.  In  recognition 
of  his  merits,  the  denomination  has  accorded  to  him,  dis- 
tinction of  position,  while  in  public  life,  as  a  pronounced 
Prohibitionist,  he  was  won  the  high  stations  for  nominee  for 
governor  of  Texas,  and  of  vice  presidency  on  the  Prohibition 
national  ticket. 

He  lives  for  others,  for  the  good  of  humanity,  and  for 
God,  more  than  for  himself. 

COLONEL   W.    B.   DENSON. 

William  Baldwin  Denson  is  a  native  of  Macon  county, 
Alabama,  but  has  been  a  resident  of  Texas  since  1853.  The 
next  year  after  his  location  in  the  state,  he  became  a  student 
at  Baylor  University,  and  after  a  course  of  three  years  grad- 
uated, bearing  away  the  first  honors  of  his  class.  Choosing 
the  bar  for  a  profession  he  went  to  Tulane  University, 
whence  he  graduated  in  1859,  and  began  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  Shreveport,  Louisiana.  He  was  among  the 
first  to  enlist  in  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy  in  1861,  leav- 
ing as  a  private  in  the  first  company  that  went  from  Shreve- 
port. Ability,  merit,  and  courage  led  to  his  rapid  promo- 
tion, and  though  leaving  as  a  private,  he  returned  at  the 
close  of  the  war,  the  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  Sixth  Louisi- 
ana Cavalry,  of  which  he  was  in  command  when  hostilities 
closed.  Since  that  time  he  has  devoted  himself  to  his  pro- 
fession, practicing  at  Cold  Springs,  Galveston  and  Gaines- 
ville, Texas. 

Colonel  Denson  has  been  a  Baptist  since  1854.  He  be- 
came a  member  of  the  church  at  Independence,  joining  at 


480  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

the  same  time  that  ( leneral  Hotiston  joined,  and  was  bap- 
tized by  President  iUirleson,  on  the  same  occasion  on  which 
Houston  was.  In  1876  Colonel  Denson  become  a  deacon  in 
the  First  Ijaptist  Church  of  (ialveston,  and  has  ever  been  an 
active  member  of  his  church,  sharing  heartily  in  all  its 
efiPorts.  A  devoted  Christian  gentleman,  he  has  been  closely 
allied  with  the  progressive  work  of  his  denomination  since 
the  period  of  his  conversion.  Favored  with  facility  and 
felicity  of  speech,  he  has  been  brought  into  frequent  requisi- 
tion in  denominational  councils,  and  has,  a  number  of  times, 
been  chosen  vice  president  of  the  Baptist  General  Conven- 
tion. He  is  a  prompt  presiding  officer,  and  is  a  great  favor- 
ite among  his  brethren.  His  judicial  wisdom  and  ready 
utterance  led  to  his  unanimous  choice  to  reply  to  Doctor 
Hayden,  on  the  occasion  of  the  defiant  speech  of  the  latter 
before  the  siate  convention,  at  Dallas,  in  1898. 

Colonel  Denson  holds  an  influential  station  among  his 
brethren,  and  his  services  are  in  frequent  demand.  They  are 
as  freely  accorded  as  they  are  eagerly  sought.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  has  been  a  conspicuous  member  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  of  the  state  convention.  Affable  in  manner, 
highly  cultured,  and  devoted  as  a  Christian,  he  is  greatly 
prized  among  the  members  of  the  convention.  As  a  lawyer, 
a  citizen,  and  a  Christian,  he  wields  a  commanding  influence 
among  his  fellow  citizens. 

JUDGE   \\  .   II.   JENKINS. 

For  many  years  Judge  W.  H.  Jenkins  has  been  before  the 
Texas  public  as  one  of  the  worthiest  citizens  of  the  com- 
monwealth. Unflinching  in  his  convictions,  his  rigid  views 
of  right  have  often  led  to  an  inappreciation  of  his  granite 
character.  He  belongs  to  that  class  of  men  who  have  to  be 
intimately  known  to  be  properly  prized.  Firm  as  the  hills, 
and  absolutely  scrupulous,  his  positions  are  sometimes  ad- 
judged extreme,  but  his  supposed  errancy  has  generally 
been  in  the  right  direction.  He  takes  counsel  of  his  own 
judgment  and  conscience,  rather  than  those  of  others,  and 
can  generally  be  relied  on  in  his  estimate  of  men  and  prin- 
ciples.    After  doing  what  he  conceives  to  be  duty,  he  is  as 


SOME    PKOMINENT    LAYMEN  481 

unswerved  by  the  popular  current,  as  he  is  unaffected  by 
adverse  criticism.  He  takes  his  own  time  in  reaching-  a 
conckision,  and  when  his  mind  is  once  settled  in  a  convic- 
tion, Gibraltar  is  no  more  movable.  Generally  estimated 
as  stern,  he  is  really  a  man  of  great  sensitiveness  of  char- 
acter and  tenderness  of  heart.  His  morbidness  is  that  of 
right  doing.  He  fears  wrong  vastly  more  than  men,  and 
with  incisiveness  seeks  to  keep  clearly  within  the  boundary 
of  right.  His  sense  of  propriety  and  honor  is  as  immutable 
as  the  code  of  morality.  Intolerable  of  sham  and  pretense, 
and  rigid  in  his  exactions  of  a  high  standard  of  conduct, 
he  has  sometimes  been  thought  inexorable ;  but  no  one  can 
doubt  his  sincerity  or  questions  his  honor.  He  exalts  pro- 
priety above  popularity,  as  he  does  virtue  above  vice. 

Gifted  with  a  rare  degree  of  intellectuality,  Judge  Jenkins 
revels  in  that  standard  of  thought  which  would  strain  most 
men  to  grasp  and  appreciate.  Yet  in  his  general  bearing 
and  ordinary  intercourse,  he  is  one  of  the  plainest  and  sim- 
plest of  men.  Those  who  know  him  best,  appreciate  him 
most.  The  touch  of  his  life  is  vital  of  good.  He  is  entirely 
free  from  ostentation,  and  while  living  in  an  exalted  orbit 
of  right  thinking  and  right  doing,  his  bearing  is  that  of 
humility.  In  his  resistance  of  wrong  he  spurns  the  mid- 
way ground  of  compromise,  and  nothing  short  of  the  boun- 
dary of  principle  satisfies  him.  To  him  principle  is  the  path 
of  the  highest  expediency.  While  aware  of  the  criticism 
which  he  often  evokes,  he  conscientiously  varies  not  the 
width  of  a  hair,  though  all  the  world  besides  differs. 

Among  his  neighbors  and  brethren  he  is  highly  esteemed, 
because  he  is  a  safe  man.  That  which  might  be  lost  by  over- 
caution  is  more  than  compensated  for  in  the  long  run  by 
seeking  always  to  be  conscientiously  correct.  Of  Judge 
Jenkins  it  might  be  as  veritably  said,  as  it  was  of  the  patri- 
arch of  Uz :  "He  is  perfect  and  upright,  a  man  who  fears 
God  and  eschews  evil."  His  influence,  conduct,  and  life 
point  in  the  direction  of  perpendicularity  of  character.  His 
sane  judgment,  judicial  ability  and  incisive  sense  of  right 
have  won  for  him  a  peculiar  position  in  the  realm  of  de- 
nominational activity.  He  has  been  raised  to  different  and 
difficult  stations  of  responsibility  and  of  confidence  in  his 


482  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

denomination,  serving  for  many  years  on  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  convention,  and  on  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  Baylor  University,  In  the  most  trying  ordeal  of  agita- 
tion into  which  the  denomination  was  reluctantly  forced, 
several  years  ago,  his  extreme  sense  of  justice  and  right, 
coupled  with  his  sensitiveness  to  wrong,  made  him  one  of 
the  most  formidable  of  the  advocates  of  the  convention. 
The  transparency  of  his  character  was  brought  out  under 
the  light  of  this  scorching  ordeal,  and  that  character  bore 
with  tremendous  weight  against  the  efforts  made  to  wreck 
the  system  built  up  through  long  years  of  judicious  and 
laborious  effort  and  consecrated  wisdom. 

Judge  Jenkins's  rigidity  is  that  of  right,  and  his  per- 
sistency is  that  of  principle.  He  is  just  as  broad  as  his  con- 
ception of  duty  allows,  and  just  as  narrow  as  his  estimate 
of  principle  permits.  Acting  always  from  lofty  motive, 
none  who  know  him  ever  question  his  integrity.  Would 
that  his  type  of  character  were  more  prevalent  among  the 
children  of  men ! 

JOHN  T.  WOFFORD. 

In  its  original  condition  the  diamond  is  often  the  rudest 
of  stones  in  appearance,  though  the  most  valuable  and 
costly  of  substances.  Gathered  from  the  bed  of  its  native 
stream,  the  unskilled  would  never  suspect  the  brilliant  quali- 
ties slumbering  within.  This  aptly  represents  the  characters 
of  a  certain  class  of  men.  They  have  not  the  finical  touch 
of  the  drawing-room,  nor  the  perfunctory  punctiliousness 
of  the  fashionable  circle.  Their  qualities  are  too  granitic 
and  too  masculine,  and  their  characters  too  broad  and  many- 
sided  for  the  finished  touch  of  the  niceties  of  the  infinitesi- 
mal facets,  from  the  narrow  confines  of  which  there  may 
flash  the  light  which  captivates,  and  yet,  after  all,  serves 
no  other  purpose  than  to  glitter  on  the  jeweled  finger,  or 
flash  on  the  bosom  of  beauty. 

The  class  of  men  already  alluded  to,  are  rather  like  the 
mountain  lake  with  its  broad  bosom  flashing  back  its  ampli- 
tude of  sunlight,  while  girdled  within  its  frame-work  of 
ragged  rock  and  overhanging  wild  moss.  On  its  surface 
float  the  freighted  craft  of  good  for  humanity,  and  within 


SOME   PEOMINENT    LAYMEN  483 

its  placid  body  are  the  elements  of  vitality.  To  such  a  class 
belongs  the  subject  of  this  short  sketch.  Made  noble  by 
nature,  and  sanctified  by  grace,  John  T.  Wofford  has  just 
the  parts  that  make  him  a  superior  man  among  his  fellows. 
With  a  fortunate  poise  of  character,  an  unerring  judgment, 
a  keen  penetration  in  business,  and  a  heart  of  tenderness, 
he  combines,  to  a  remarkable  degree,  the  elements  which 
excite  the  love  of  those  who  know  him.  Intensely  practical 
in  all  things,  his  direct  aim  in  life  is  to  do  the  greatest  good. 
Selfishness  finds  no  place  in  the  multitudinous  qualities  of 
good  that  obtain  in  his  manly  and  robust  character.  Com- 
prehensive in  all  things  that  enter  into  his  great  character, 
and  small  in  nothing,  he  fills  a  spacious  place  in  the  ranks  of 
his  denomination.  In  his  knowledge  of  men  and  afifairs, 
he  represents  an  important  side  of  life  in  the  deliberations 
and  enterprises  of  the  Baptists  of  Texas,  and  when  the  lead- 
ing laymen  of  the  state  are  recounted  for  consultation  on 
any  practical  measure,  John  T.  Wofford  is  among  the  first 
to  be  thought  of.  His  unvarnished  life  is  one  of  the  indi- 
cations of  his  inherent  sincerity.  He  is  as  devoid  of  pre- 
tense as  the  rugged  mountain  is  of  sheen  and  polish,  and 
through  a  practical  eye,  he  sees  only  the  worthy  and  meri- 
torious, and  his  judgment  is  governed  accordingly. 

In  all  the  great  movements  of  his  cherished  denomination, 
within  the  last  years  of  its  history,  John  T.  Wofford  has 
conspicuously  shared.  His  prodigiously  practical  brain 
gives  him  a  value  above  estimate.  So  far  from  courting  or 
seeking  notoriety,  he  is  most  modest  and  retiring,  and  his 
services  have  to  be  sought  in  order  to  be  commanded ;  but 
when  given,  it  is  done  without  requite,  and  solely  from  a 
loyal  sense  of  duty.  Big  of  heart,  loyal  in  purpose,  conse- 
crated in  life,  and  stalwart  in  devotion,  his  piety  savors  of 
the  simplicity  of  childhood,  and  his  career  is  redolent  of 
that  class  of  golden  deeds  in  which  the  left  hand  knows  not 
of  what  the  right  hand  does. 

COL.    W.    L.    WILLIAMS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch — Col.  W,  L.  Williams — was 
born  in  Anderson  Co.,  Tenn.,  Dec.  25,  1834.     His  father, 


484  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Joseph  llaskins  W'illiains,  was  of  sturdy,  Welsh  stock,  born 
and  reared  in  North  Carohna,  and  his  mother,  Juha  Ann 
Tower,  of  Pennsylvania,  (jernian  stock,  born  and  reared  in 
Knox  Co.,  Tennessee.  They  were  of  the  rural  element, 
both  born  and  reared  and  ever  afterward  lived  on  a  farm, 
so  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  farmer  boy  and  labored 
as  other  boys  until  he  was  21  years  of  age.  \\'hen  he  w^as 
II  years  old  he  moved,  with  his  parents,  to  Lawrence  Co., 
Mo.,  where  his  father  purchased  a  plantation  and  continu- 
ously resided  on  it  until  he  arrived  at  his  maturity. 

Col.  Williams  is  what  may  be  termed  an  educated  man. 
He  had  the  best  possible  advantages ;  in  the  annual  session 
of  the  old  time  district  schools,  from  early  childhood  until 
he  was  grown  and  then  availed  himself  of  four  years'  col- 
lege training,  closing  his  course  in  the  University  of  Mis- 
souri in  i860.  P>om  that  time  until  the  summer  of  1867 
he  put  in  all  possible  time  in  the  study  of  law.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1867  by  Judge  Thos.  Harrison  of 
Waco.  Since  that  time  he  has  laeen  a  laborious  and  suc- 
cessful practicing  lawyer  at  Dallas,  Texas.  Col.  W^illiams 
gave  himself  to  Christ  in  Lawrence  Co.,  Mo.,  in  May,  1851, 
and  joined  the  Sinking  'Creek  church  and  was  baptized  by 
the  pastor,  Elder  Burrow  Buckner,  uncle  of  our  beloved  Dr. 
R.  C.  Buckner  of  Dallas,  Texas.  From  that  day  until  this 
he  has  held  fast  to  his  calling  as  a  Cbristian ;  notwithstand- 
ing the  temptations  often  in  college  life  and  the  demoraliz- 
ing conditions  of  a  four  years'  civil  war,  he  never  for  an 
hour  forgot  his  duty  as  a  Christian  gentleman,  nor  once  dis- 
honored the  name  of  Christ.  Col.  Williams  joined  the  First 
Cavalry  Company  for  the  Southern  army  raised  in  his 
county  in  Missouri  in  the  spring  of  1861  and  went  imme- 
diately to  the  front  with  Ceneral  Stirling  Price,  and  shared 
the  life  of  a  soldier,  and  with  him  engaged  in  the  numerous 
battles  fought  by  that  distinguished  soldier  until  the  second 
year  of  the  war,  when  he  was  so  severely  wounded  that  he 
was  forced  to  leave  the  ranks  of  the  active  army  and  do  post 
duty. 

Col.  A\'illiams  was  engaged  to  be  married  to  Miss  Lou- 
cinda  Bccklev  in  March,  1861,  but  the  war  was  then  in  sight, 


SOME    PROMINENT    LAYMEN  485 

and  they  postponed  their  marriage  and  were  soon  separated 
by  the  warring  parties  in  their  country,  and  saw  nothing 
more  of  each  other,  except  by  chance,  from  soon  after  the 
war  began  until  the  war  was  over.  But,  both  true  to  each 
other,  she  at  liis  request  and  arrangement  came  to  Texas  and 
they  were  married  near  Waco  by  Dr.  Richard  B.  Burleson 
Feb.  13,  1866.  They  have  reared  a  family  of  five- boys  and 
two  girls. 

Col.  Williams  settled  in  Dallas,  Texas,  in  Nov.,  1867. 
He  found  no  Baptist  Church  and  after  some  search,  dis- 
covered three  who  had  belonged  to  Baptist  churches.  By 
the  summer  of  1868  a  few  Baptists  had  moved  into  the  city 
and  Col.  Williams  and  his  wife  set  to  work  to  establish  a 
church  and  preparatory  thereto  invited  several  country 
preachers  to  hold  a  meeting,  at  the  close  of  which  a  church 
of  eleven  members  was  constituted — eight  women  and  three 
men.  From  that  day  until  this.  Col.  Williams  and  his  wife 
have  been  the  leaders  of  the  church  known  as  the  First 
Church.  To  write  the  history  of  this  now  great  church  with 
them  and  all  they  did  left  out,  would  be  very  imperfect. 
Col.  Williams  was  ordained  deacon  of  this  great  church 
about  37  years  ago,  and  has  nearly  from  the  first  enjoyed 
the  distinction  of  being  its  senior  deacon,  and  as  such  pre- 
sided as  chairman  of  the  deacons'  and  pastors'  meeting.  He 
is  a  wise  counselor,  a  choice  presiding  officer  and  a  ready 
worker.  He  has  for  many  years  been  chairman  of  the  Mis- 
sion Committee  and  has  had  much  to  do  in  establishing  mis- 
sions that  have  from  time  to  time  grown  into  all  the  other 
Baptist  churches  in  the  city  and  other  missions  not  yet  or- 
ganized into  churches. 

Col.  Williams  is  now,  and  has  been  for  ten  years,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Baptist  General  Con- 
ventian  of  Texas,  and  nearly  that  long  Auditor  of  that  great 
body  as  well  as  the  Auditor  of  the  Board  and  as  such  all  the 
financial  affairs  of  the  board  have  passed  under  his  care- 
ful and  pains-taking  labors.  He  is  modest,  has  never  sought 
place  or  prominence,  but  has  simply  worked  where  his 
brethren  have  placed  him,  both  in  his  church  and  in  the 
Convention. 


ITON.    JOHN    C.    TOWNES,    LL.    D.,    AUSTIN,    TEXAS. 


SOME   PEOMINENT   LAYMEN.  487 

JUDGE   JOHN    CHARLES   TOWNES,   LL.D. 

Ill  the  current  of  this  denominational  story,  more  than 
once,  allusion  has  been  made  to  the  ability^  of  the 
Baptist  denomination  to  furnish  men  for  the  higher 
ranks  of  public  service.  Every  station  of  preeminence  has, 
at  different  times,  been  occupied  by  Baptist  representatives. 
It  is  most  fortunate  that,  in  the  faculty  of  the  State  Univer- 
sity, there  are  representatives  of  the  denomination,  the  most 
eminent  of  which  is  Judge  John  C.  Townes.  Possessed  of 
a  rare  combination  of  elements  of  character,  he  was  provi- 
dentially led  through  just  such  conditions  of  life  as  brought 
these  elements  to  the  fullest  fruitage.  A  Baptist  layman, 
of  parts  so  conspicuous,  is  worthy  of  a  place  in  this  chapter 
of  sketches. 

Judge  Townes  is  a  descendant  of  a  distinguished  North 
Alabama  family.  In  the  upper  part  of  Alabama,  his  grand- 
father, Rev.  John  L.  Townes,  himself  a  distinguished  jurist 
and  Baptist  preacher,  was  eminent  among  the  Baptists  of 
that  state,  as  a  worthy  colaborer  of  Rev.  Doctor  D.  P. 
Bestor.  The  father  of  this  sketch,  Judge  E.  D.  Townes, 
was  chancellor  of  the  northern  district  of  Alabama,  and  later 
a  member  of  the  Texas  legislature.  The  subject  of  the  pres- 
ent sketch  is  a  native  of  Alabama,,  having  been  born  at  Tus- 
cumbia,  in  that  state,  January  30,  1852.  In  1856,  his  father 
removed  to  the  eastern  part  of  Travis  county,  Texas,  where 
he  became  active  in  denominational  circles,  and  was,  for  a 
period  of  years,  the  moderator  of  the  Austin  Association. 
Though  a  man  of  wealth,  like  many  another,  as  a  result  of 
the  Civil  War,  Judge  Townes  left  his  family  without  means 
when  he  died,  in  1864. 

The  close  of  the  war  left  Charles,  then  a  lad  of  only 
thirteen,  to  struggle  for  himself.  At  Parsons'  Seminary,  a 
country  school  of  high  grade,  near  Manor,  Texas,  he  de- 
rived his  earliest  educational  training.  Later,  for  more  than 
two  years,  he  was  a  student  at  Waco  (now  Baylor)  Uni- 
versity, but  lack  of  means  forced  his  retirement  to  the  farm 
left  him  by  his  father.  Two  years,  from  1871  to  1873,  he 
devoted  his  time  to  the  preparation  for  the  bar,  to  which 
he  was  admitted  in  1873. 


488  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

Practicing  first  in  Travis  county,  and  later  in  San  Saba, 
he  was,  in  1882',  elected  judoe  of  the  thirty-third  judicial 
district  of  the  state.  Resigning^  his  judi^cship  in  1885,  he 
resumed  the  practice  of  law  at  vSan  Saba,  but  soon  removed 
to  Georgetown,  where,  in  1888,  Governor  Ross  appointed 
him  to  the  judgeship  of  the  twenty-sixth  judicial  district, 
composed  of  Williamson  and  Travis  counties. 

Again  resigning  from  the  bench.  Judge  Townes  entered 
into  copartnership  with  Hon.  S.  R.  Fisher,  and  entered  again 
into  the  practice  of  the  law.  h^rom  this  position  he  was 
elected  to  the  professorship  of  law  in  the  State  University, 
which  position  he  now  occupies.  In  recognition  of  his 
ability,  his  Alma  Mater,  Baylor  University,  in  1898.  con- 
ferred on  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  Judge 
Townes  has  made  several  contributions  to  legal  literature, 
viz. :  "Texas  Pleading,"  "American  Elementary  Law,"  and 
"General  Principles  of  the  Law  of  Torts." 

During  the  eventful  period  through  which  Judge  Townes 
has  lived,  he  has  been  active  in  Christian  work.  The  ex- 
actions of  his  professional  duties  have  never  suffered  him 
to  neglect  his  duty  as  a  Christian.  As  teacher  in  the  Sunday 
school,  as  superintendent,  and  as  deacon  in  the  churches  of 
which  he  has  been  a  member,  in  the  circles  of  the  State 
University,  as  chairman  of  the  chapel  service  committee, 
and  in  various  other  relations  his  character  as  a  pure  man 
of  God  is  conspicuous.  Li  the  circles  of  the  University,  the 
students,  in  admiration  of  his  Christian  virtues,  call  him 
"God  Almightys  gentleman."  Xo  one  who  has  ever  occu- 
pied a  position  in  the  University  of  the  state  has  wielded  a 
more  powerful  influence  for  good,  than  has  Judge  Townes. 
Unlike  many  others  whose  identity  is  lost  in  the  absorption 
of  scholastic  work,  when  similarly  situated,  Judge  Townes 
is  greatly  concerned  with  the  movements  of  the  on-going 
world.  He  is  an  active  citizen,  sharing  in  all  that  pertains 
to  the  public  good,  a  vigorous  church  member,  and  is  al- 
ways at  his  station  of  trust,  while  his  work  in  the  class  is 
the  best.  More  men  of  his  type  in  our  universities  would 
simplify  many  complex  conditions,  and  give  largest  hope  for 
the  future. 


SOME    PEOMINENT    LAYMEN  489 

PRESIDENT   OSCAR   HENRY   COOPER. 

Conspicuous  among  the  profound  scholars  of  Texas,  is 
President  Oscar  H.  Cooper.  He  is  a  native  Texan,  and  was 
born  to  scholarship.  To  his  natural  aptitude  have  been  con- 
formed his  habits,  all  of  which  are  peculiarly  scholastic. 
He  has  crowded  within  a  brief  span  of  years  much  scholas- 
tic and  educational  work.  Quietly  studious,  his  power  of 
acquisition  has  been  enormous,  and  in  all  the  schools  of 
which  he  has  been  a  student — Marshall  and  Yale  Universi- 
ties, in  America,  and  Berlin  University,  abroad,  he  has  won 
distinction. 

Graduating  from  Yale,  in  1872,  he  returned  later  to  take 
a  graduate  course,  and  subsequently  went  to  Berlin  where 
he  won  the  distinction  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  On  his  return 
to  Texas  he  was  made  state  superintendent  of  education, 
and  afterward  became  superintendent  of  public  schools  in 
the  city  of  Galveston.  In  1900  he  became  president  of 
Baylor  University,  and  at  once  the  scholarship  of  that  in- 
stitution was  elevated,  and  the  faculty  vastly  improved. 

Amidst  the  exactions  of  his  busy  educational  life,  Doctor 
Cooper  has  found  time  to  make  many  valuable  contributions 
to  the  cause  of  education.  These  have  generally  been  in  the 
form  of  papers  read  before  learned  associations,  where  he 
has  been  able  to  speak  to  the  nation.  Among  those  which 
won  him  special  distinction  was  that  on  "The  Contributions 
of  Baptists  to  the  Cause  of  Education,"  which  was  read  be- 
fore the  National  Educational  Association,  in  1900,  at 
Charleston,  South  Carolina.  This  was  the  subject  of  much 
favorable  comment  throughout  the  country.  President 
Cooper  is  the  author  of  an  important  work  the  title  of  which 
is,  "The  History  of  Our  Country."  In  recognition  of  his 
profound  scholarship,  he  has  been  honored  with  membership 
in  the  American  Philological  Society,  and  the  National 
Council  of  Edinburgh. 

Since  1902,  Doctor  Cooper  has  been  the  president  of 
Simmons  College,  at  Abilene.  His  assumption  of  the  posi- 
tion was  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  that 
institution,  the  constituency  of  which  embraces  both  the  ex- 
tensive  regions  of  western  and   southwestern  Texas.     So 


490  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS   BAPTISTS 

soon  as  President  Cooper  entered  on  his  duties,  at  Simmons 
College,  a  strong  faculty  was  at  once  chosen,  and  the  stand- 
ard of  study  raised.  The  school  at  once  became  one  of  the 
most  thorough  of  the  colleges  of  the  country.  This  seems 
to  have  been  promptly  recognized,  for  during  the  second 
year  of  his  presidency,  the  enrollment  of  students,  at  Sim- 
mons, was  increased  almost  one  hundred  per  cent. 

Simmons  College  has  just  begun  its  career  of  usefulness. 
It  has  property  valued  at  over  two  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, is  free  from  debt,  and,  under  the  provisions  of  the 
charter,  cannot  incur  indebtedness.  On  the  high  plains  of 
western  Texas,  President  Cooper  has  an  educational  realm 
all  his  own.  The  region  of  the  location  of  Simmons  Col- 
lege is  rapidly  increasing  in  population,  which  means  much 
for  the  history  of  the  school.  Occupying  the  best  sphere 
of  usefulness  in  his  career.  Doctor  Cooper  is  destined  to 
give  tone  and  complexion  to  the  coming  generations  of  the 
high  and  healthful  table  lands  of  western  Texas. 

PRESIDENT    S.    PALMER   BROOKS. 

Perhaps  no  one  in  the  educational  circles  of  Texas  has 
had  a  more  eventful  career  than  President  S.  Palmer 
Brooks.  His  successful  career  in  the  face  of  the  most  stub- 
born and  forbidding  odds  is  an  inspiration  to  any  aspiring 
young  man,  no  matter  what  his  difficulties  be.  The  son  of 
a  poor  Baptist  preacher  whose  anxiety  to  educate  his  chil- 
dren far  exceeded  his  means,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was, 
in  early  manhood,  thrown  on  his  own  personal  resources. 
His  father.  Rev.  S.  E.  Brooks,  Avas  a  gentleman  of  no  mean 
attainments,  having  graduated  from  the  Southwestern  Bap- 
tist University,  Jackson,  Tennes'see,  in  1859. 

From  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Church,  of  Milledgeville, 
Georgia,  the  father  removed  to  Texas,  with  his  family,  in 
1868,  when  conditions  were  at  their  worst  in  the  Lone  Star 
state.  At  that  time,  the  public  schools  of  Texas,  under  the 
Reconstruction  regime,  were  of  an  indifferent  sort.  Palmer 
Brooks  was  enabled  to  get  what  he  might  from  such 
sources,  supplemented  by  such  instruction  as  he  was  en- 
abled to  obtain  from  intelligent  parents  at  home.     In  his 


•  SOME    PEOMINENT    LAYMEN  491 

boyhood,  he  sustained  the  greatest  loss  that  can  come  to  any 
one — that  of  his  mother,  and  being  the  eldest  of  the  family 
of  children,  the  care  of  the  household  fell  on  the  lad  and 
his  sister,  as  the  father  was,  for  the  most  part,  absent  on 
missionary  duty.  With  broken  health,  the  father  was  forced 
to  retire  from  his  work,  the  family  was  scattered,  and 
Palmer  was  compelled  to  seek  work  where  he  might.  The 
only  way  open  to  him  was  that  of  obtaining  employment,  as 
a  section  hand,  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railway,  where  with  pick 
and  shovel  he  eked  out  a  bare  subsistence.  When  the  young 
man  was  twenty-two  years  old,  his  father's  health  had  suf- 
ficiently recovered  for  him  to  be  able  to  assume  charge  of 
a  country  school,  near  Cleburne.  The  son  was  induced  to 
attend  on  the  school  of  the  father,  bringing  to  the  resump- 
tion of  his  scholastic  work,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  a  par- 
tial knowledge  of  the  science  of  geography,  a  mastery  of 
the  multiplication  table,  a  scant  fund  of  information  de- 
rived from  miscellaneous  reading,  and  an  abundance  of  the 
knowledge  of  vice  incident  to  association  with  the  rough 
men  of  the  rail. 

The  most  important  turning-point  in  the  life  of  young 
Brooks  came  at  this  time.  He  was  led  to  Christ,  and  was 
baptized  by  Rev.  W.  J.  Brown,  His  wayward  career  was 
at  once  changed,  and  possessed  of  an  inexorable  will,  he 
steadfastly  set  his  face  toward  righteousness. 

Brooks  was  now  in  the  flush  of  young  manhood.  Many 
valuable  years,  years  of  the  readiest  receptivity  of  knowl- 
edge, had  passed,  but  the  young  man  was  resolutely  bent 
on  the  completion  of  his  course.  Counting  the  cost,  he  en- 
tered the  race.  Dividing  his  time  between  teaching  and 
attendance  on  Baylor  University,  he,  at  last,  was  graduated 
from  Baylor  with  the  bachelor's  degree.  He  was  now 
thirty,  and  it  need  scarcely  be  said,  was  the  oldest  mem- 
ber of  his  class.  The  matured  man  among  youths  appeared 
the  more  grotesque,  clad  in  a  Prince  Albert  coat,  which  was 
"much  the  v»^orse  for  wear" ;  but  in  order  to  atone  for  its 
age,  and  especially  to  hide  the  patches,  it  was  treated  to  a 
fresh  coat  of  dye,  which  gave  it  an  unusual  glisten. 

The  possessions  of  the  man  of  thirty  were  the  wardrobe 
which  he  wore,  a  diploma,  and  a  debt  of  one  hundred  and 


492  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

twenty-five  dollars,  which  he  had  horrowed  with  which  to 
^jrosecute  his  course.  But  lahor  in  the  open  air  on  the  rail- 
way track  had  toughened  him  for  hardship,  poverty  had 
given  him  a  strong  will,  and  success  now  emboldened  him. 
Believing  in  himself  and  in  his  success  for  the  future,  Mr. 
Brooks  proceeded  to  encumber  himself  afresh  with  debt, 
by  borrowing  a  sum  sufficient  to  go  to  Yale  Univer- 
sity. With  the  S'ame  pluck  with  which  he  entered  on  his 
course  at  Waco,  he  went  to  work  at  Yale,  and  at  the  end 
of  a  year  was  able  to  bear  away  the  bachelor's  degree  from 
that  institution.  Then  began  his  career  as  a  teacher.  First 
in  the  McKinney  Texas  Collegiate  Institute  he  taught, 
which  was  followed  the  next  year  by  a  position  in  the  Pre- 
paratory Department  of  Baylor  University.  The  year  fol- 
lowing this,  he  was  chosen  to  take  the  newly  created  chair 
of  History  and  Political  Economy  in  Baylor  University. 
During  the  year  1896  he  traveled  in  Alexico,  for  a  season, 
and  in  1897,  spent  a  summer  at  Chicago  University.  In 
1901,  Professor  Brooks  resigned  his  chair  at  Baylor  in  order 
to  accept  a  fellowship  in  Yale  University.  His  plans  were 
completely  changed  by  his  being  chosen  the  president  of 
Baylor  University,  in  1902,  to  succeed  Doctor  O.  H.  Cooper. 

ROBERT    HENRY    COLEMAN. 

Robert  H.  Coleman  is  still  a  young  man.  The  dew  of 
youth  is  yet  on  his  brow,  and  the  elastic  step  of  boyhood  is 
still  his.  Without  any  direct  instrumentality  or  personal 
effort,  on  his  part,  to  challenge  attention,  young  Coleman 
has  been  brought  to  the  front  of  Baptist  laymen  in  Texas, 
by  reason  of  his  peculiar  gift  of  leadership,  devoutness  of 
spirit,  keenness  of  judgment,  responsiveness  to  the  beck  of 
duty,  purpose  and  activity,  suavity  of  disposition,  and 
promptness  of  execution.  In  the  hurried  events  of  his  life, 
he  had  been  led  along  a  path  which  has  served  to  develop 
the  qualities  inherent  in  his  character.  Reared  in  a  pious 
home,"  educated  in  a  Christian  college,  that  of  Georgetown, 
Kentucky,  drawn  into  business,  where  responsibility  had  to 
be  met,  trained  in  the  exactness  of  duty  which  attaches  to 
a   bank,   becoming   an   editor,   aspiring   to   be   a   politician, 


SOME    PROMINENT    LAYMEN 


493 


the  hand  of  Providence  interposed  with  defeat,  and  led  to 
final  success  in  other  directions.  Enlisted  early  in  active 
church  work,  Coleman  was  gradually  fitted  for  the  spheres 
which  awaited  in  after  years.  Lithe  in  business  and  supple 
in  execution,  it  is  not  a  matter  of  wonder  -that  when  he 
reached  Dallas,  he  was  summoned  by  Doctor  Gambrell,  to 
aid  in  the  prosecution  of  his  arduous  work  in  state  missions. 
Nor  is  it  surprising  that  he  was  called  from  that  station  to 
become  assistant  pastor  of  the  First  Church  of  Dallas. 


R.  II.  COLEMAN,  DALLAS,  TEXAS. 


Coupled  with  these  duties  was  the  more  important  one  of 
leading  and  directing  the  forces  of  the  young  people  of  this 
state.  He  met  the  juncture  in  the  career  of  that  cause,  just 
when  a  leader  was  needed,  and  such  a  leader  as  he  has 
proved  to  be.  The  young  people  of  the  state  had  felt  the 
touch  of  spiritual  vitality,  and  currents  of  fresh  activity  and 
of  zealous  enthusiasm  were  running  like  torrents  from  the 
hills  through  the  characters  of  young  men  and  women,  and 


494  HISTOEY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

they  were  awakening  to  the  fact  that  they  could  do  much 
for  the  Master.  Yea,  more,  they  recognized  the  fact  tliat  it 
was  a  matter  of  duty,  and  there  was  a  spontaneous  uprising 
of  the  youth,  hke  that  of  the  Scottish  clans  of  old.  This 
undercurrent  of  youthful  sentiment  marked  an  era  in  Bap- 
tist history — in  the  spiritual  history  of  the  world.  With 
this  upheaval  of  young  Christian  sentiment,  in  Texas,  came 
a  call  for  a  leader,  and  R.  H.  Coleman  was  summoned  to 
the  fore.  His  trained  eye  saw  at  once  the  necessity  of 
thorough  organization,  and  organization  under  such  con- 
ditions as  would  hold  intact  the  forces  of  the  young.  While 
executing  the  routine  of  work  in  other  responsible  spheres, 
as  we  have  seen,  Coleman  has  projected  and  brought  to 
full  consummation  plans  for  most  effective  results  in  the 
cause  of  the  young  people  of  the  Baptist  churches  of  Texas. 
There  has  been  displayed  genuine  generalship  in  the  mas- 
tery of  superb  planning,  and  what  all  this  has  had  to  do 
with  the  steady  development  of  our  churches,  in  many  direc- 
tions, is  not  a  matter  of  mathematics,  but  more  of  logical 
reason,  for  certain  it  is,  that  a  new  day  came  to  the  Baptist 
churches  of  Texas  with  the  activity  of  our  young  men  and 
women. 

The  efficient  organization  of  the  young  forces  of  the  Bap- 
tist churches  of  the  state,  and  the  signal  management  of  the 
annual  seaside  gatherings,  the  arrangement  for  attractive 
speakers,  and  for  the  comfort  of  the  multitudes  that  throng 
on  these  occasions,  bespeak  an  unusual  grasp  of  administra- 
tive ability.  Yet  all  this  has  been  accomplished  by  Mr. 
Coleman,  while  his  work  in  aiding  in  directing  the  forces 
of  a  great  church  has  not  in  the  least  been  neglected.  To  be 
able  to  girth  so  much  within  easy  grasp,  and  to  conduct  it 
with  consummate  success  without  friction  at  any  point,  indi- 
cates remarkable  power  of  management.  Nor  are  these 
annual  meetings  of  the  young  mere  outings  or  picnic  occa- 
sions. They  are  packed  with  electrical  force  which  is  borne 
back  to  the  churches  to  give  fresh  propulsion  and  illumina- 
tion. The  addresses  are  not  those  which  merely  please  with 
the  pranks  of  rhetoric,  they  are  the  best  blood  of  the  best 
spiritual  thought,  which,  while  they  kindle  the  fires  afresh, 
set    the    wheels    in    motion.      How  many  of  the  revivals 


SOME    PROMINENT    LAYMEN  495 

which  have  blessed  the  churches  of  the  state,  within  the  last 
few  years,  have  had  their  source  and  spring  in  these  gather- 
ings beside  the  sea,  cannot  be  known,  but  the  spirituality  of 
the  state  has  been  deepened  certainly  since  so  much  promi- 
nence has  been  given  them.  More  than  to  any  other  is  the 
state  indebted  to  R.  H.  Coleman  for  these  results.  To  be 
sure,  he  has  not  been  without  efficient  aids,  but  no  one  would 
withhold  from  him  the  palm  of  reward  due  him  as  the  chief 
consummator  of  the  success  of  the  young  people's  movement 
in  Texas. 

The  prominence  which  he  has  attained  accords  to  him  a 
worthy  niche  among  the  Baptist  laymen  of  Texas.  While 
not  a  preacher,  the  intimacy  of  touch  which  Coleman  enjoys 
with  the  pastors  of  the  state,  and  the  equal  intimacy  with  the 
private  membership  of  the  churches,  afford  an  opportunity 
for  unlimited  service  and  immense  good.  It  is  certainly 
an  opportunity  rarely  enjoyed,  and  one  just  as  rarely  im- 
proved with  much  consummate  tact  and  power. 

Mr.  Coleman  is  an  humble,  devout  man  of  God,  and 
should  his  life  be  prolonged,  his  future  service  will  be  in- 
calculable in  its  reach  for  good. 

The  views  of  the  present  writer  are  supported  by  those 
of  others,  'among  whom  are  Doctor  J.  B.  Gambrell,  who 
said  in  the  Missionary  Worker,  concerning  R.  H.  Coleman, 
on  the  occasion  of  his  retirement  from  the  state  mission 
work:  "This  brother,  so  well  known  over  the  state,  has 
been,  for  months,  assistant  in  the  mission  rooms.  No  truer 
man  lives,  than  he.  It  has  been  good  to  work  with  him. 
He  retires  from  service  with  us,  to  be  assistant  to  Pastor 
Truett,  where  we  believe,  he  will  prove  himself  a  most  ef- 
fective helper  in  the  ever-growing  work  of  the  First  Church. 
It  is  generally  known  that  Brother  Coleman  is  only  a  dea- 
con; but  he  is  as  nearly  a  New  Testament  deacon  as  we 
have  ever  known.  We  do  not  part  with  him,  but  work  with 
him  still  in  new  relations.    A  blessing  on  him  and  his." 

Rev.  George  W.  Truett,  D.D.,  in  speaking  of  his  fellows- 
laborer,  says:  "I  have  no  words  with  which  adequately  to 
express  my  appreciation  of  R.  H.  Coleman.  In  all  my  rela- 
tions with  men,  I  have  never  met  a  nobler,  truer,  better,  nor 
more  useful  man,  than  this  man.     Others  may  have  been 


496  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

more  conspicuous  than  he,  Init  none  have  been  more  truly 
useful  and  faithful.  Prudent,  courageous,  sympathetic, 
zealous,  optimistic,  unselfish,  faithful,  his  life  is  indeed  most 
nobly  endowed,  both  by  nature  and  by  grace.  In  the  years 
of  our  intimate  association,  not  once  have  I  ever  observed 
the  slightest  exhibition  of  selfishness  in  his  life.  Through 
these  years,  it  has  been  an  increasing  joy  to  me,  to  have  him 
as  an  intimate  fellow-laborer  in  the  Master's  cause.  I  have 
not  a  doubt  that  his  already  wonderfully  useful  life  is  stead- 
ily to  wax  in  strength  and  usefulness  with  the  passing  years. 
God  grant  that  it  may  be  so." 

JOHN    p.    CROUCH. 

One  of  the  functions  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to  instruct  and 
develop.  Men  are  called  from  obscure  walks  of  life,  where 
they  would  not  be  known  beyond  the  boundary  of  their 
native  horizons,  but  for  the  Spirit  of  God.  Entering  their 
hearts,  He  shows  unto  them  the  successive  and  ascending 
steps  of  usefulness  and  joy,  and  just  in  proportion  as  He 
is  yielded  to,  just  to  that  extent  are  men  led  and  developed. 

This  is  suggested  by  the  character  and  career  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  notice — John  P.  Crouch.  Hailing  from  the 
mountain  districts  of  East  Tennessee,  a  region  noted  for  its 
historic  associations  and  the  hardiness  of  character  which  it 
produces.  Air.  Crouch  came  to  Texas  in  1877,  and  began  his 
career  of  business.  In  his  early  manhood,  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  he  passed  into  the  kingdom  of  grace,  and  from  that 
time  forth,  has  grown  alike  in  material  and  spiritual  pros- 
perity. He  has  been  brought  into  such  relations  in  life,  as 
to  make  him  valuable,  alike  as  to  his  influence  as  a  man  of 
God,  a  strong  force  for  Christianity  in  the  commercial 
world,  an  official  of  many-sidedness  in  his  denominational 
relations  and  a  munificent  contributor  to  the  varied  interests 
of  the  Master's  kingdom. 

The  varied  experiences  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Crouch  have 
made  him  cautious,  while  the  Spirit  of  God  has  made  him 
conscientious.  He  is  not  a  subject  of  sudden  impulse,  but 
reaches  his  conclusions  with  a  commendable  steadiness. 
Reared  in  a  region  long  noted  for  its  Republican  proclivi- 


SOME    PKOMINEiXT    LAYMEN  497 

ties,  in  his  younger  years,  he  was  a  disciple  of  that  pohtical 
school.  But  a  subject  of  conscience  rather  than  of  blind 
political  allegiance,  he  became  allied  with  the  forces  which 
were  resisting  the  inroads  of  vice  through  the  saloon  and 
brewery,  and  became  an  avowed  Prohibitionist.  Having  the 
qualities  of  leadership,  he  was  soon  brought  to  the  front  in 
the  moral  contest  against  the  sway  of  the  saloon.  The  Pro- 
hibition party  of  Texas,  in  recognition  of  his  sterling  quali- 
ties of  leadership,  placed  him  on  its  ticket,  in  1906,  for  the 
comptrollership. 

Deacon  Crouch  is  recognized  in  his  home  city  of  Mc- 
Kinney,  as  an  ideal  Christian  citizen.  His  denomination  re- 
gards him  as  one  of  its  worthiest  laymen,  and  has  laid  un- 
der tribute  his  superior  gifts.  The  tendency  of  his  nature 
is  in  the  direction  of  aid  to  others,  and  this  charitable  dis- 
position has  led  to  his  appointment  as  a  trustee  of  the  Buck- 
ner  Orphans'  Home,  which  position  he  has  already  held  for 
twelve  consecutive  years.  He  finds  delight  in  assisting  meri- 
torious young  men  and  women,  in  their  struggles  to  get 
afoot,  by  procuring  educational  advantages.  In  a  quiet  un- 
ostentatious way,  he  has  been  instrumental  in  aiding  strug- 
gling youth  to  reach  positions  of  self-help.  His  policy  is 
not  to  squander  a  dime,  nor  to  aid  one  beyond  the  limit  of 
self-independence.  In  the  help  thus  rendered,  he  does  not 
so  much  furnish  the  fish,  as  he  does  the  hook. 

His  broad  usefulness  led  to  his  appointment  on  the  first 
Baptist  Education  Commission,  and  he  w^as  among  the  first 
to  be  appointed  on  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Texas 
Baptist  Memorial  Sanitarium,  to  which  interest,  he  was  the 
first  to  pay  $5,000  for  a  ward.  The  home  of  Deacon  Crouch 
is  one  of  preeminent  hospitality,  in  which  his  excellent  wife 
joins  to  make  the  abode  one  of  pleasure.  It  is  emphatically 
the  preacher's  home. 

In  a  former  chapter  allusion  was  made  to  the  occasion 
when  Doctor  George  W.  Truett  was  first  recognized  as  a 
force  in  the  denomination.  It  was  in  the  home  of  Deacon 
Crouch  that  Truett  first  met  B.  H.  Carroll,  to  whom  he  was 
introduced  by  Deacon  Crouch. 

Awake  to  every  interest  for  good,  and  with  his  face  set 
toward  God,  Deacon  Crouch  is  certain  to  become,  with  ex- 


498  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

paneling"  usefulness,  a  potent  agent,  at  a  time  when  laymen 
are  rapidly  coming  to  the  front,  in  contributing  to  the  pro- 
motion of  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  His  growing  prosperity 
means  a  commensurate  growth  of  his  continued  gifts  to  the 
cause  to  wliich  his  life  is  devoted. 

JUDGE  T.  B.  BUTLKR. 

Life  never  becomes  great  without  a  profound  conviction 
of  personal  duty.  No  human  being  rises  to  the  heights  of 
grandeur  to  whom  there  does  not  come  a  deep  feeling  of 
obligation  to  his  fellowmen.  Complete  manhood  is  a  fulness 
of  powers,  and  a  right  disposition  for  the  use  of  the  powers. 

These  suggestions  come  in  connection  with  the  life  and 
character  of  Judge  T.  B.  Butler.  Quiet  and  unobtrusive, 
gentle  and  yet  solid,  his  character  is  worthy  of  study,  and 
deserves  permanent  embalmment  in  the  history  of  the  de- 
nomination of  which  he  is  an  honored  member.  In  their 
combination,  the  qualities  which  enter  into  his  character  are 
exceptional.  While  a  man  of  pronounced  conviction,  he  is, 
at  the  same  time,  unusually  conservative.  Deliberate,  he 
never  hastens  to  a  conclusion,  but  amply  reviews  every 
question  in  advance  of  an  expression  of  judgment.  After 
a  thorough  canvass  of  both  sides  of  a  given  question,  he 
settles  into  a  conviction  with  the  solidity  of  a  mountain  on 
its  base.  There  is  nothing  more  characteristic  of  him  than 
the  guard  which  he  places  on  his  utterances.  Bacon  says : 
"Discretion  of  speech  is  more  than  eloquence ;  and  to  speak 
agreeably  to  him  with  whom  we  deal,  is  more  than  to  speak 
in  good  words,  or  in  good  order."  This  applies  with  re- 
markable aptness  to  the  subject  of  this  short  sketch. 

The  daily  life  of  Judge  Butler  is  one  of  uniform  consist- 
ency, his  conduct  carrying  with  it  its  own  transparent  ex- 
planation. After  he  has  followed  a  course  of  conduct,  and 
has  reached  a  conclusion,  no  explanation  is  ever  necessary. 
Quietly  working  out  his  thought  to  a  logical  conclusion,  it 
is  done  in  such  a  way  as  never  to  awaken  a  doubt  of  the  sin- 
cerity of  Judge  Butler. 

While  thus  quiet  and  sedate  in  his  general  bearing,  which 
qualities  lend  gentleness  to  his  tone  of  life,  he  is  not  want- 


SOME    PROMINENT    LAYMEN  490 

ing  in  aggressiveness,  and  yet  his  aggressiveness  is  tempered 
by  such  coolness  and  judicial  deliberationj  as  always  to 
awaken  the  respect  of  his  opponents  even,  and  when  a  given 
issue  is  ended,  his  course  has  been  such  as  to  leave  no  after- 
regrets. 

Still,  he  is  unconcessive  in  principle,  and  so  coolly  and 
pleasantly  uncompromising,  that  he  wins,  without  effort,  the 
respect  of  all.  It  is  not  difficult  to  see  that  one  with  such 
poise  of  character,  and  with  such  an  unusual  combination 
of  elements,  would  sway  an  uncommon  influence.  The 
touch  of  such  a  man  is  vital  of  good.  The  expression  of 
an  opinion  from  him  would  be  equally  acceptable  to  an  oppo- 
nent and  a  friend. 

The  weight  of  his  potent  character  is  thrown  in  the  di- 
rection of  right.  Many  unconsciously  gauge  their  conduct 
by  that  of  Judge  Butler.  The  fact  that  he  entertains  a  cer- 
tain view,  means  much  to  many ;  the  knowledge  of  his  pur- 
suit of  a  given  course,  is  a  satisfactory  guarantee,  to  many, 
of  its  correctness.  Thousands  actuated  by  the  same  motive, 
as  that  which  impels  Judge  Butler,  and  pursuing  the  iden- 
tical course,  and  for  the  same  reasons,  would  never  draw 
others  in  the  same  direction.  The  subtlety  of  his  quiet  in- 
fluence is  gently  but  efficaciously  powerful. 

He  is  singularly  undemonstrative  in  the  expression  of  an 
opinion,  and  in  his  relations  to  others ;  and  yet  he  is  the  im- 
personation of  loyalty.  In  nothinig  does  this  find  readier 
expression  than  in  his  devotion  to  his  pastor.  He  may  hon- 
estly differ  from  his  pastor,  and  yet  the  possibility  of  the 
slightest  strain  of  relationship  is  impossible.  There  is  the 
innate  respect  for  his  pastor  as  a  leader  and  a  reverence  for 
his  station  that  impel  Judge  Butler  to  support  him  to  the 
subordination  of  his  own  wishes.  This,  taken  in  connection 
with  the  fact  that  he  never  misses  a  deacons'  meeting,  make 
him  an  ideal  pastoral  co-worker.  The  other  sides  of  the  life 
of  Judge  Butler  are  equally  as  prominent  as  those  already 
dwelt  on.  As  a  man,  in  the  circles  of  business,  he  is  supe- 
rior, and  as  a  judge  of  law,  he  is  ranked  among  the  best  in 
the  state.  For  a  period  of  about  eighteen  months,  he  was 
the  president  and  business  manager  of  The  Baptist  Standard. 
His  connection  with  the  paper  was  eminently  satisfactory, 


500  HISTORY    OF    TEXAS    BAPTISTS 

and  his  retirement  was  voluntary,  and  for  reasons  purely 
personal.  lie  returned  to  Tyler  to  resume  the  practice  of 
law. 

In  the  sacred  precincts  of  the  home  there  is  the  same  un- 
varying' tenor  of  life  which  prevails  elsewhere.  His  domes- 
tic relations  are  ideal — his  home,  a  model.  Above  all  these 
things,  his  life  is  governed  by  an  exalted  piety  which  per- 
vades his  character  throughout.  Among  his  fellowmen  he 
is  a  walking  sermon.  He  is  as  good  a  man  during  the  week, 
as  he  is  on  Sundav. 


INDEX 


Abolitionism,  storm  center  of,  153. 

Agencies,  in  forming  Texas  society,  24,  25. 

Allcorn,  Mrs.  Lydia,  converted,  15 ;  baptized,  28. 

American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  343. 

Anderson  church,  47. 

Anderson,  Eev.  S.  J.,  D.D.,  president  of  Burson  College,  371. 

Antinomianism,  41. 

Austin  's  Colony,  48. 

Austin,  First  Church  organized,  68. 

Averill,  Eev.  A.  M.,  life  and  labors  of,  317. 

Baggerly,  Eev.  G.  G.,  opposes  the  Convention,  115.;  occasions  strife, 
125. 

Baines,  Eev.  G.  W.,  Sr.,  D.D.,  pastor  at  Marshall,  72;  at  Anderson, 
119;  becomes  editor,  119;  character,  122;  improperly  assailed, 
122;  ability,  138;  President  of  Baylor  University,  158;  retires 
from  same,  185. 

Baines,  Eev.  G.  W.,  Jr.,  referred  to,  216;  secretary  of  the  Education 
Convention,  225. 

"Baptist  Banner,"  35. 

"Baptist  Missionary,"  begun  by  Eev.  T.  H.  Compere,  209. 

Baptist  Missionary  Association  organized,  426 ;  first  venture,  439 ; 
nature  of  plans,  445;  temper  of,  468. 

Baptist  Principles,  steadfastness  in,  73;  rapid  growth,  98;  compared. 
115;  thriving  under  difficulties,  137;  propagation,  142;  progress 
of,  impaired  by  rivalry,  188;  retarded  by  disharmony,  218;  re- 
ceives an  impulse,  400;  city  strongholds,  403;  comparative 
growth  of,  431 ;  self-centered,  451. 

Baylor,  Judge  E.  E.  B.,  removes  from  Alabama,  27 ;  sketch,  51 ; 
labors  in  double  capacity,  61,  113;  interest  in  Sunday  School 
work,  181;  death,  217. 

Baylor  College,  removed  to  Belton,  304. 

Baylor  University,  founded,  57;  named,  54;  endowment  undertaken, 
89;  president  and  faculty  resign,  90;  gives  first  diploma  to  male 
graduate.  119;  first  to  a  woman  graduate,  132;  relations  to  con- 
vention discussed,  142 ;  unsettled  conditions  of,  145 ;  removal  of, 
agitated,  198;  agitation  continued,  201;  removal  resisted,  225; 
declines,  285;  resolutions  offered  against  removal,  287;  removal 
determined   on,   294;    property    of,   transferred,    295;    consolida- 

501 


b02  INDEX 

tion  with  Waco  Uuiversity,  298;  corner  stones  of  new  buildings 
laid,  43'J. 

Bays,  Hev.  Jos.,  preaches  first  in  Texas,  14;  labors  and  suffering,  15. 

Bethel  church,  41. 

Bonhain,  First  church,  106. 

Borden  church,  41. 

Boundary  question,  21. 

Boyce,  Kev.  J.  P.,  D.D., 'LL.IX,  mentioned,   226. 

Breaker,  Eev.  J.  Manly,  alluded  to,  25!t. 

Briscoe,  Kev.  J.  K.,  106;  anecdote,  112. 

Brownsville,  a  mission  field,  110. 

Buchanan,   President,   sends   Col.   E.   E.  Lee   to   repel  invasion,   147. 

Buckner,  E.  C,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  vice  president  Bautist  State  Convention, 
183;  recommends  expansion,  210;  sketch,  212;  general  mission- 
ary, 229 ;  opposes  Dr.  Link,  2.51 ;  General  Association  involved, 
252;  his  work  a  blessing,  336;  wise  sayings,  447. 

Burleson,  Gen.  Ed.,  Indian  fighter,  33;  sketch  and  death,  93. 

Burleson,  Eev.  E.  C,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  pastor  at  Houston,  72;  sketch, 
78;  president  of  Baylor  University,  91;  serious  trouble,  139; 
disquieted,  143 ;  foresight,  163 ;  president  of  Waco  University, 
164;  doubts,  203;  supposed  favor  of  educational  unity,  204; 
opposes  unity,  207;  active  against  unity,  209;  declines  to  rep- 
resent Education  Union,  215;  favors  plan  of  educational  unity, 
227;  endorses  Dr.  B.  H.  Carroll  as  agent,  228;  recommended  for 
presidency  of  combined  schools,  289 ;  president  of  Baylor  Uni- 
versity, at  Waco,  303 ;   death,  427. 

Burr,  Aaron,  alluded  to,  26. 

Burroughs,  Eev.  H.  M.,  removes  to  Texas,  132;  made  superintendent, 
298 ;  responsibilities  of,  306 ;   retires  from  superintendency,  362. 

Byars,  Eev.  N.  T.,  constitutional  convention  held  in  shop  of,  26;  a 
missionary,   79;   pastor  at  Waco,  90. 

B.  Y.  P.  L^.  solid  growth,  402;  increasing  strength,  416;  influence 
of,  420;   encampment  at  La  Porte,  438. 

Campbell,  Eev.  C.  D.,  sketch  and  death,  349. 

Carroll,  Eev.  B.  H.,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  first  appearance  of,  149;  goes  to 
AVaco,  198;  builds  a  new  church,  275;  opens  the  way  to  con- 
solidation, 279;  his  course  bears  fruit,  285;  canvasses  state  for 
prohibition,  307;   labors  for  Baylor  University,  342. 

Carroll,  Eev.  J.  M.,  D.D.,  a  young  preacher,  216;  corresponding  secre- 
tary Sunday  School  Convention,  250;  pastor  at  Corpus  Christi, 
259;  statistical  secretary,  325;  valuable  service,  342;  correspond- 
ing secretary  of  State  Board,  349 ;  courage  under  difficulties, 
360;  retires  from  secretaryship,  364;  financial  agent  of  Baylor 
College,  367;  resigns  as  pastor  of  First  Church,  Waco,  440. 

Carswell,  Eev.  E.  E.,  a  disputant,  368. 

Chandler,  Eev.  P.  B.,  sketch  of,  59. 

Chapel  Hill  Church,  40. 

Chaplin,  Eev.  C.  C,  D.D.,  pastor  at  Austin,  242;  president  of  State 
Convention,  259;  last  attendance  on  convention,  282. 


INDEX  503 

Childress,  Mrs.,  entertains  Morrell,  19. 

Chilton,  Kev.  Thos.,  pastor  at  Houston,  91. 

"Christian  Companion,   The,"  unsuccessfully  started,  198. 

Clarke,  Prof.  H.,  rupture  with  President  Burleson,  139;  makes 
notable  report,   171;    resigns,   211. 

Clemmons,  Eev.  A.  E.,  D.D.,  alluded  to,   106. 

Coke,  Senator  Eichard,  anathematizes  preachers,  302;  fails  as  an 
anti-prohibition   leader,   307. 

Colonies,  first  in  Texas,  22. 

Concord  Church,  48. 

Confederacy  sundered,  168 ;   falls,   168. 

Cortina,  invasion  and  repulse,  147. 

Crane,  W.  C,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  president  of  Baylor  University,  165 ; 
sketch,  165 ;  called  to  Houston,  166 ;  interest  in  Sunday  School 
work,  181;  acquiesces  in  educational  unity,  206;  opposes  con- 
solidation, 207;  pathetic  pluck  of,  255;  death,  282. 

Cranfill,  Eev.  J.  B.,  LL.D.,  editor  of  "Gatesville  Advance,"  276; 
messenger  to  State  Convention,  295 ;  meets  Senator  Mills  in 
debate,  299 ;  prohibition  leader,  301 ;  organizes  Prohibition 
party,  304;  renders  valuable  service,  310;  corresponding  secre- 
tary of  State  Board,  321 ;  works  with  vigor,  322 ;  retires,  345 ; 
founds  ' '  The  Standard, ' '  345 ;  fitness,  346 ;  candidate  for  vice- 
presidency,  353 ;  anecdotes,  354 ;  sole  proprietor  of  ' '  The  Stand- 
ard, "  358;  valuable  service,  400;  wise  management,  413;  settles 
law  suits,  465. 

Creath,  Eev.  J.  W.  D.,  sketch,  59;  assailed,  125;  devotion  to  San 
Antonio,  146;  vice-president  of  Baptist  Convention  to  Texas, 
215;  labors  exclusively  for  San  Antonio,  216;  dreams  realized, 
238;  again  financial  secretary,  248;  arduous  labors,  259;  death. 
267. 

Cox,  Eev.  T.  W.,  pastor  at  Independence,  26 ;  defection,  36 ;  down- 
fall, 37. 

Curry,  Eev.  J.  H.,  250. 

Dallas,  First  Church,  beginning  of,  191 ;  town  of,  terror  to  evan- 
gelists, 192. 

Dancer,  Eev.  E.,  27. 

Davis,  President  Jefferson,  alluded  to,  233 ;  writes  notable  letter  on 
prohibition,  309. 

Davis,  Mrs.  F.  B.,  institutes  Woman's  Work,  273;  active  in  the 
work,  337. 

Dickenson,   Mrs.,   "heroine   of   the   Alamo,"   49. 

Disadvantages  of  early  settlers,  29. 

Discord,  early  in  Baptist  ranks,  44;  results,  49. 

D 'Israeli  quoted,  88. 

Drought,  fearful,  137;  returns,   150. 

Early  church  discomforts.  111. 

Eastern  Texas  Baptist  Convention,  126;  projects  a  school,  147;  pre- 
carious condition  of,  185;  name  changed,  186. 


504  ■  INDEX 

"Ecclesiastical  Committee  of  Vigilance,"  18. 

Education  Coniniission  created,  401;   activity  of,  408;   excellent  work, 

421;   ilourishinf^,  446. 
Educational    unity    discussed,    209 ;    opposed   by   Presidents   Burleson 

and  Crane,  210;  agitation  of,  211;  convention  in  interest  of,  225. 
Eldredgc,  Ecv.   Peter,  48. 
Elledge,  Eev.  A.  W.,  address  and  alnlity,  102;   anecdotes,  103. 

Fatal  freeze,  86. 

' '  Flowers  and  Fruits, ' '  alluded  to,  278. 

French,  Eev.  J.  A.,  D.D.,  pastor  at  Austin,  370. 

Gaddy,  Eev.  J.  M.,  efficient  service  of,  436;  retire^  464;  death,  471. 

Galveston  storm,  421. 

Gambrell,  Eev.  J.  B.,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  invited  to  Texas,  345 ;  quoted, 
347 ;  attends  State  Convention  at  Houston,  378 ;  becomes  corre- 
sponding secretary,  388 ;  president  of  Education  Commission, 
401;  generalship,  413;   caution  of,  434. 

Garrett,  Eev.  Hosea,  removes  to  Texas,  40;  interest  in  Sunday  school 
VFork,  181;  death  and  sketch,  316. 

Garrett,  Eev.  0.  H.  P.,  removes  to  Texas,  40;  death,  306;  sketch,  307. 

General  Baptist  Association,  origin  of,  186;  activity  and  rivalry, 
197;  sanctions  educational  unity,  205;  new  vigor,  210;  lags, 
213;  prosperous,  262. 

German   evangelization,   135 ;    revived,   243. 

Giles,  President  B.  F.,  406. 

Gillette,  H.  L.,  at  Baylor  University,  57. 

Goliad,  Declaration  of,  26. 

Gonzales  Church,  40. 

Goode,  J.  L.,  publishes  the  Lord's  Prayer  from  Indian  tongue,  248, 

Grant,  Gen.  U.  S.,  a  slave  owner,  154. 

Graves,  Eev.  H.  L.,  D.D.,  president  of  Baylor  University,  57;  agent 
of  Sunday  School  work,  237. 

Graves,  Eev.  J.  E.,  D.D.,  alluded  to,  143;  preaches  missionary  ser- 
mon, 145. 

Green,  Eev.  E.  G.,  alluded  to,  27. 

Hanks,  Eev.  B.  T.,  D.D.,  pastor  in  Dallas,  253;  buys  interest  in 
"Western  Baptist,"  313;   edits  "The  Baptist,"  453. 

Hanks,  Eev.  Thos.,  removes  to  Texas,  15. 

Harmony  Church,  44. 

Harrison,  Gen.  J.  E.,  sketch,  233. 

Hawthorne,  Gen.  A.   T.,  mentioned,   273. 

Hayden,  Eev.  S.  A.,  D.D.,  alluded  to,  254;  resolutions  on  consolida- 
tion offered  by,  288;  a  peacemaker,  290;  contest  with  Dr.  Link, 
303;  looses  valuable  opportunity,  317;  attacks  State  Board,  36;*; 
occasions  the  existence  of  "Baptist  Standard,"  373;  proposal 
to  reject  him  from  the  convention,  381;  protest  made,  384; 
accusations  made  by,  389 ;  arraigned  by  Deacon  Mays,  394 ; 
brings  suit,  404. 


INDEX  505 

Haynes,  A.  G.,  character  and  sketch,  151. 

Herrin,  Eev.  L.,  removes  to  Texas,  40;  resists  anti-missionism,  41; 
faithful  labors  of,  69. 

Hill,  Eev.  Noah,  sketch,  59;  missionary  to  the  slaves,  96. 

Hillyer,  Prof.  J.  F.,  pastor  at  Galveston,  72. 

History  of  Texas  by  Wooten,   alluded  to,  18. 

Holt,  EeV.  A.  J.,  D.D.,  missionary  to  wild  tribes,  248;  of  General 
Association,  250;  efficiency,  305;  cause  prospers  under,  315; 
joint  editor  with  Dr.  Hayden,  320;  retires  from  secretaryship, 
321. 

Home  Mission  Society,  37;  aids  in  Texas  work,  265;  promotes  tiie 
work,  277. 

Houston,  Gov.  Sam,  called  from  obscurity,  24;  crushes  Santa  Anna, 
26;  president  of  Eepublic,  39;  retires,  53;  messenger  to  tho 
Judson  Association,  117;  closes  career  as  United  States  Senator 
and  becomes  Governor,  147;  drives  back  the  Indians,  148;  com- 
pulsory  retirement,   157 ;    death,   164. 

Howard  Payne  College,   328. 

Huckins,  Eev.  Jas.,  a  missionary,  26;  labors  of,  31;  leaves  Galveston 
pastorate,  81;  financial  agent,  81;  fidelity,  82;  incessant  labors, 
96 ;  returns  to  Galveston  as  pastor,  109 ;  gift  of  people  of  Gal- 
veston, 149;   goes  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  150. 

Immigration,  foreign,  to   Texas,  404. 
Independence,  beginning  of  decline,  140. 
Independence   Church  organized,   28. 
Indians   give  trouble,   32. 

Jackson,   President,   possible   connection   with   Houston 's   removal   to 

Texas,  24. 
Jefferson  and  Napoleon,  21. 
Johnston,    Eev.    Jonas,    liberality    of,    185;    connected    with    "Texas 

Baptist   Herald,"   251. 

Kimball,  Eev.  J.  A.,  sketch,  94. 
Kimbrough,  Dr.,  relates  an  incident,   302. 

Lagrange  Church,  28. 

Law,  Eev.  F.  M.,  D.D.,  removes  to  Texas,  151 ;  interest  in  Sunday 
School  work,  181;  favors  educational  unity,  209;  becomes  finan- 
cial secretary,  230;  results,  235;  devotion  of  Baylor  College, 
321;   death,   436. 

Lee,  Col.  E.  E.,  drives  back  to  Cortina,  147. 

Lester,  C.  Edwards,  quoted  on  Houston,  165. 

Liberty  of  speech,   advantages   of,   220. 

Lincoln,   President,   election   gives   apprehension,   148. 

Link,  Eev.  J.  B.,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  removes  to  Texas,  177;  projects  a 
paper,  ISO;  valuable  service,  195;  advocates  educational  unity, 
209;  directs  tourists  of  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  222;  fur- 
nishes a  plan  for  educational  unity,  227;  removes  to  Dallas, 
252;  his  first  impression  of  J.  B.  Cranfill,  276. 


506  INDEX 

Lipscomb,  Judge  A.  S.,  nominates  Dr.  Burleson  for  Baylor  Univer- 
sity presidency,  91. 

Louisiana  Purchase,  13. 

Lutlier,  Eev.  J.  H.,  D.D.,  iirosidciit  of  Baylor  College,  249;  retained 
on   its   removal,   3(l4;    death,   44(5. 

Marsii,   Kev.  R.,  removes  to   Texas,   17;    death,  18. 

Martin,  Eev.  "SI.  T.,  founds  a  remarkable  heresy,   311. 

Marshall,  First  Churcli  organized,  72. 

Mason,  Rev.  W.  A.,  missionary  agent,  206. 

Maxey,  Senator  S.  B.,  alluded  to,  243;  a  prohibition  leader,  307; 
death,  36(5. 

Millard,  Mrs.  Massie,  organizes  first  prayer  meeting  in  Texas,  20. 

"Missionary  Worker,"  402,  412. 

Mills,  Senator  R.  Q.,  debates  with  J.  B.  Cranfill,  299;  opposes  Dr. 
B.  H.  Carroll  in  state  canvass,  307. 

Morrell,  Rev.  Z.  N.,  preaches  first  sermon  in  Houston,  17;  reaches 
Texas,  18;  marked  distinction,  18;  declines  appointment  as  mis- 
sionary, 26;  baptizes  first  convert,  27;  resists  Cox,  36;  discour- 
agement and  intrepidity,  44;  activity,  46;  skill  as  leader,  61; 
retires  from  active  labor,  107;  invites  Southern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion to  Texas,  215;  death,  277. 

Morrill,  Rev.  B.  D.,  132;  power  and  influence,  186;  sketch  and  death, 
186. 

Motlev,   John  Lothrop,  quoted,  241. 

Mt.  GUead  Church,  34. 

Mt.  Olivet  Church,  440. 

Mt.  Zion  Church,  41. 

Xegro,  influences  on  Civil  War,  153;   interest  of,  fostered  by  Texas 

Baptists,  180. 
Newman,  Wm.  Henry,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  at  Baylor  L^niversity,  432. 
New  Orleans,  battle  of,   alluded  to,   13. 
"No  Man's  Land,"  character  of  occupants  of,  22. 

O'Brvan,  Eev.  S.  G.,  pastor  at  Waco,  90;   death,  184. 
Old  North  Church,  26. 

Orphans'  Home,  Buckner,  conceived,  244;  prosperity  of,  343;  growtii, 
353. 

Paper  projected  by  Texas  Baptists,  109. 

Paris,  First  Church   constituted,  US. 

Parker,  Daniel  and  James,  47. 

Pastors'  Conference  organized,  247. 

Pecan   Point",  14. 

Penn,  ^laj.  AV.  E.,  invites  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  to  Texas, 

215;  begins  evangelistic  career,  230;  holds  revival  at  Waco,  235; 

conducts  a  remarkable  meeting  at  Ft.  Worth,  276. 
Pickett,  Eev.  W.  M.,  ordained,  48;  pastor  at  Paris,  118. 
Pilgrim,  T.  J.,  organizes  first  Sunday  School  in  Texas,  19;    become!? 

Sunday  School  secretary,  95. 


INDEX  507 

Plum  Grove  Church,  27. 

Pope,  Eev.  O.  C,  D.D.,  removes  from  Tennessee,  257;  co-editor  uf 
' '  Texas  Baptist  Herald, ' '  251 ;  corresponding  secretary,  263 ; 
supports  a  missionary  in  Mexico,  265;  work  thrives  under  him, 
268;  wisdom  and  enterprise,  271;  a  leader,  274;  builds  church 
at  Monterey,  Mexico,  293. 

Population,  character  of  first,  in  Texas,  23. 

Powell,  Eev.  W.  D.,  D.D.,  secretary  of  Sunday  School  Convention, 
242 ;  excellent  work  of,  247 ;  activity,  249 ;  missionary  to 
Mexico,  273;  secures  offer  of  school  property,  277. 

Prestridge,  Eev.  J.  N.,  D.D.,  mentioned,  318. 

Prohibition,  notable  campaign,  307 ;  liquor  forces  employ  foul  means, 
309 ;  remarkable  facts  about  opponents  to,  309. 

Promising  conditions,   66. 

Providence,  wisdom  of  displayed,  189;  indications  of,  262;  mys- 
tery of,  333;  unerring,  434. 

Eailroad.s,  beginning  of  in  Texas,  104. 

Eeconstruction  and  destruction,  169;   rallying  from   effects  of,   194; 

end  of,  239. 
Bed  Eiver  region,  destitution  in,  121. 
Eeed,  Eev.  Isaac,  opposes  missions,  41. 

Eeed,  Eev.  Samuel,  reaches  Texas,  17;  labors  about  ^facogdoches,  27. 
Eegulators  and  Moderates,  45. 
"Eeligious   Messenger,"   begun,    218;    awakens   interest,   223;    nam< 

changed,  234. 
Eepublic,  perils  of,  32. 

Eoman  Catholics,  form  of  oath  administered  by,  22 ;  reproached,  223. 
Eoyall,  Wm.,  D.D.,  becomes  president  of  Baylor  College,  229;   suc- 
ceeded by  Dr.  Luther,  249. 

Sabbath  School  and  Colportage  Union,  181. 

Salem  Church,  44'. 

San  Antonio,  110;  mayor  of  assaults  a  Methodist  minister,  308;  Dr. 

Carroll   speaks  under  the  national  flag  in,    308;    State   Conven 

tion  at,  .391. 
Sanitarium,  Baptist  Memorial,  first  broached,  448. 
Scarborough,  Eev.  L.  E.,  valuable  service  of,  328. 
Schurz,  Carl,  quoted,  24. 

Shipman,  Moses,  entertains  Thos.  Hanks,   15. 
Simmons  College  founded  by  Eev.  J.  B.  Simmons,  D.D.,  327. 
Slaughter,   Col.   C.  C,   conceives  the  idea  of   educational  federation, 

396 ;    liberal    gift    of,    396 ;    associate    proprietor    of    ' '  Baptist 

Standard, ' '   401 ;    donation  of   tents,   429 ;   power  and  influence, 

443 ;   gift  to  Baptist  Sanitarium,  448. 
Slaughter,  Eev.   Geo.   Webb,  early   career  of,   48 ;   missionary  labors 

and  equij^ment,  49;   record  and  death,  371. 
Slaves,  freedom  of  agitated,  122;  friends  of,  in  the  South,  154;  peril 

to  the  South,  160;  benetfis  derived  by,  161;  fidelity  of,  161. 
Smalley,  Eev.  Freeman,  preaches  first  sermon  in  Texas,  14. 


608  INDEX 

Smith,  Kev.  Abner,  reaches  Texas,  17. 

Smith,  Gen.  Morgan  L.,  liberality  of,  82;  timely  aid  of,  203. 

Smith,  Eev.  M.  V.,  as  a  boy  preacher;  interest  in  Sunday  School 
work,  181;  writes  "Flowers  and  Fruits"  for  Z.  N.  Morrell,  287; 
devotion  to  Baylor  College,  321;  becomes  editor,  346;  death,  357. 

South  Texas,  seat  of  empire,  140. 

Southern  Baptist  Convention  invited  to  Texas,  215;  meets  at  Jeffer- 
son, 222;  at  Waco,  275;  at  Fort  Worth,  329. 

' '  Southwestern  Baptist  Chronicle, ' '  67. 

Spalding,  Eev.  A.  T.,  D.D.,  pastor  at  Galveston,  264. 

Speight,  Gen.  J.  W.,  134 ;  favors  educational  unity,  205 ;  sketch,  231. 

Spraggins,  Eev.  Thos.,  28. 

"Standard,  Texas  Baptist,"  founded,  345;  oflSce  of  destroyed  by 
fire,  363;  policy  changed,  401;  its  elevated  plane,  415;  its  con- 
structive work,  453. 

Stewart,  Hon.   Charles,  alluded  to,  367.  , 

State  Convention,  origin  of,  79 ;  interests  fostered  by,  195 ;  epoch 
in  history  of,  199;  summary  of  its  history,  207;  -progress  of, 
243;  holds  eventful  session,  276;  meeting  at  Waxahachie,  how 
viewed,  282;  steps  toward  consolidation,  297;  meets  first  after 
consolidation,  300. 

Stribling,  Eev.  J.  H.,  D.D.,  first  appearance  of,  67;  named  as  editor, 
109;  increase  of  power,  129;  interest  in  Sunday  School  work, 
181;  brings  Major  Penn  before  public,  231;  death  and  sketch, 
348. 

Sunday  School  cause  flourishing,  195;  activity  in  work  of,  201. 

Sunday  School  Board  commended,  343. 

Taliaferro,  Eev.  E.  H.,  pastor  at  Austin,  68. 

Talleyrand  quoted,  433. 

"Texas  Baptist  and  Herald,"  created,  303;  source  of  discord,  329; 
hostility  of,  346;  wages  war  on  the  denomination,  376;  bitter- 
ness of,  453;  reaction  from,  459. 

Texas  secedes  from  the  Union,  156. 

"Texas  Baptist  Herald,"  begins,  123;  awakens  enthusiasm,  138; 
power  and  influence,  145;  suspends,  198;  is  removed  to  Austin, 
276. 

"Texas  Baptist,"   created,   234. 

Tichenor,  Eev.  I.  T.,  D.D.,  alluded  to,  270. 

Thrall 's  allusion  to  Baptists,  26. 

Travis  Church,  28. 

Trinity  Eiver  Association  founds  a  school,  133. 

Truett,  Eev.  G.  W.,  D.D.,  is  recommended  to  Dr.  Carroll,  325;  char- 
acter, 327 ;  financial  secretary  of  Baylor  University,  338 ;  leader- , 
ship  of,  420 ;   power  and  influence,  443. 

Trustees,  original  board  of  Baylor  University,  54. 

Tryon,  Eev.  W.  M.,  becomes  a  missionary.  26;  assistant  pastor  at 
Independence,  28;  labors,  31;  sketch,  34;  originates  educational 
movement,  35 ;  modesty,  54 ;  first  president  of  Board  of  Trus- 
tees Baylor  University,  57;  sagacity,  65;    death,  63. 


INDEX  509 

Tucker,  Eev.  George,  137. 

Tyler,  First  Church,  seeks  to  establish  a  school,  99. 

Union  Church,  27. 

Vickers,  Mrs.  Eliza,  liberality  of,  145. 

Vining,  Eev.  T.  L.,  leadership  of,  102. 

Waco  Association,  151. 

Waco  Classical  School,  151. 

Waco  First  Church  organized,  90;  first  meeting-house,- 113;  great  re- 
vival at,  235. 

Waco  University,  prospers,  185;  liberal  proposal  of,  203. 

AValne,  Eev.  T.  J.,  D.D.,  financial  secretary,  352. 

War,  Civil,  indications  of  approach  of,  148 ;  effect  of,  on  Baptist 
State  Convention,  159;  evangelization  of  slaves  during  the,  159; 
hardships,  164. 

"Western  Pioneer,"  35. 

Washington  Constitutional  Convention,  26. 

Wells,  Eev.  J.  M.,  at  Fort  Worth,  329;  death,  397. 

Westrup,  Eev.  J.  O.,  murdered,  265. 

Williams,  Col.  W.  L.,  timely  work  of,  192,  193. 

Witt,  Eev.  Jesse,  enters  on  work  in  Texas,  69;  death,  146. 

Woman's  Work,  begun,  273;   activity  of,  337;  contributions  of,  449. 

Wright,  Eev.  Asa,  41. 

Yellow  Fever,  183,  216. 


University  of  California,  Los  Angeles 


L  005  960  885  1 


AA    000  835  222    1 


